Lifetimes
by Carla
Summary: Helena finally faces all the ghosts of her past, and in the end, she might reach the peace and life she once had or be destroyed by the struggle. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Default Chapter

Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS:  All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them.  Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

Chapter I:  Shadows

_Everything was so dark... she couldn't see a thing.  She was calling for her mother, but she couldn't find her... There was a light down the corridor, she ran towards it, maybe her mother was there... She hated being alone; her mother knew that, so she always tried to stay within calling range from her daughter.  She called again.  No one answered.  She didn't want to be alone, she didn't want to be alone, she didn't want to be alone... She screamed, to the top of her lungs, she screamed and screamed..._

_"Helena!  Helena baby, wake up!" She opened her eyes gasping for air.  Her mother was there, in her room, sitting on her bed and holding her shoulders, worry written all over her face._

_"Mommy!" she screamed as she buried her little face in her neck._

_"It's okay darling, I'm here with you..." Selina Kyle caressed her five-year-old's dark hair.  For such a little kid, she was crushing Selina's body with the tight embrace, but Helena knew her mother was not about to turn her away._

_"I thought I was alone mommy!" Helena pulled herself from her mother's arms and locked her eyes with hers._

_"Where?"_

_"I don't know... There was this corridor, and I was calling for you, but you didn't answer and there was a light and I thought you were there, so I ran and... and I was still alone..." Tears were beginning to form again in her eyes, she didn't like crying, but she was so scared, she was clutching her mother's hands, afraid she would disappear._

_"Don't worry honey, you're not alone ok?" no response.  "Helena, come on, look at me." The child slowly raised her eyes, meeting her mother's beautiful gaze.  "Listen Hel, I love you very, very much, and I'm going to be with you as long as I'm alive, do you hear me?"_

_"Yeah." Helena whispered._

_"Do you trust me love?"_

_"Of course I trust you mommy."_

_"Then believe me, I'm not going to leave you alone.  I'm going to take care of you, and protect you, and love you. You know that, right?"_

_"I do mommy."_

_"Then calm down." Selina smiled at her daughter and kissed her on the top of her head "You have to go to pre-school tomorrow and I have to go to work, so we better get some beauty sleep or we're going to be all cranky in the morning, right?" she teased._

_"Rrrright..." Helena smiled at last._

_"Good.  But... Now I'm all nervous and I don't want to be alone..."_

_"You're too old to be such a wuss..." Helena kidded._

_"What do you mean, old!" Selina tickled her daughter, who rolled on her bed, laughing.  "I was going to ask you to come and sleep with me in my big fluffly bed, but if you'd rather stay here..."_

_"No! No! I want to go to the big bed!" Helena jumped into her mother's arms._

_"I thought so, honey." Selina laughed, kissed her daughter again and carried her to her room.  When they were both laying on the big bed, Helena curled herself in her mother's arms.  She opened her eyes and saw her mother, holding her close, looking really peaceful._

_"Mommy?" she whispered._

_"Yes, baby?" she answered without opening her eyes._

_"I love you." She closed her eyes again._

_"I love you too, Helena."_

Helena Kyle, Huntress, wiped away the tear that was rolling down her cheek.  Today was her birthday.  She was twenty-tree years old, and her mother wasn't here to see it.  And she had wanted it so much, had loved her so much.  Helena was always afraid of being alone, she figured it was normal for a child of a single parent, her mother was all she ever had while growing up.  But Selina had managed to give her stability, the nightmares had stopped when she had been around seven... Only to return when she had been sixteen, and she had known that her mother was never coming back.

"You kept your promise mom..." Helena said to her mother's grave, as she laid a single red rose there, her favorite... "You were with me as long as you were alive..." Tears were coming to her eyes again, and this time she knew she would not be strong enough to stop them.  "I miss you so much, mommy.  I know I'm lucky to have Barbara... She's great, and I care a lot about her, but... I don't feel... I don't know where Huntress stops and Helena starts, you know? Since you... since that night... I don't think I'm the same person, or a person at all...  You gave up so much for me to be able to be one, and when you... I was pulled in so many directions.  Barbara gave me purpose... but I don't think I care that much... I..."

She could remember so many long conversations with her mother, eating chocolates if they had had a long hard day, taking a "day off" to hang out, do crazy stuff and talk through the night... She had learned so much from her mother... "Catwoman".  Selina Kyle definitely had what it was needed to be Catwoman, Helena had not doubt about it, but she had known another side, a gentler side.  That of the mother that came to all her gym competitions and karate matches, helped her with her homework, stayed up all night with her when she had tummy-ache... Catwoman, Selina Kyle, had been the person who had loved her the most in her life, as well as the person Helena had loved the most, and she still missed her every single day.  What would Selina think of her daughter now? Somehow, Helena figured that her mother wouldn't be that pleased about her taking the Huntress' mantle. Then again, sometimes neither did she.  But she wouldn't have stood on her way... Selina had always been one to understand the need of a personal space, the thirst her daughter had for freedom and to make her own choices... Selina wouldn't have liked it, but she would have respected her decision... Hell! Helena had seen some old Catwoman tapes, Selina would have probably trained her daughter to make sure she wouldn't get killed... But she knew the Life had not been what her mother had wanted for her... The Life was probably something she wouldn't have embraced if her mother had lived long enough... But she would never know, would she?

"I just miss you so much mom.  I love you."

::Huntress!:: a voice in her ear started ringing.

"Damn.  Gotta go, mommy, I'll come to see you as soon as I can, I promise.  Bye."  She started to make her way from her mother's grave as she wiped the remaining tears falling from her eyes.

::Huntress, are you listening?::

"I am now. What do you want?"

::Are you alright?:: Helena realized she had answered rudely.

"Yeah... Long day, sorry.  Do you need something?" Damn! Even when she tried to be nice... to not avail.

::I just wanted to know when you were coming home. We figured we could take you out or something.::

"I appreciate the offer, but I just feel like being alone right now..."

::Helena, every year, on your birthday...::

"I have some sort of breakdown or act like a zombie for a whole week, I've heard this one before, Barbara, but I still feel like being by myself."

::You're in the cemetery, aren't you?::

"What?" That caught her by surprise.

::It's okay if you feel sad today, Helena, but if you'll allow me to...::

"Sorry, got to go.  See you tomorrow." Helena took her earring off.  She knew that Barbara's offer was sincere, and that she was going to tell her to allow her to share her pain with her, to help her out. But she just couldn't... She loved Barbara, although she couldn't remember the last time she had actually told her... but she would never understand... Losing the person who had been your world, who had built your world... Helena just wanted to be alone and get drunk, wake up tomorrow, and not think about the hole she now felt in her chest.

"I take it Miss Helena is not coming." Alfred Pennyworth said while he put a cup of tea in front of a very frustrated Barbara Gordon..

"Shouldn't be surprised... she's never here on her birthday."

"It's a difficult day for Miss Helena."

"I know that Alfred, I just want to make it easier for her, but she doesn't want my help."

"She has problems accepting help, from everyone."

"But from me, Alfred? We've known each other so long... but, this day..."

"If I may be so bold to ask, Miss Barbara, do you know what Miss Helena used to do in her birthday when Miss Selina was alive?" 

Barbara had to smile at his question, remembering.

"Something different every year... When Helena turned one, Selina had this party, huge party actually, clowns, magicians, the whole thing.  I told her it didn't make sense, since Helena was a baby, she wasn't likely to remember... But Selina said she would, even if Helena didn't, and that the important thing wasn't for her to remember but for her to have a good time."

"Did she?"

"Oh yeah... She walked so funny, not really that stable on her two tiny feet, but she was chasing the magician around and trying to take off the clown's nose, eating candies like crazy... When Helena turned sixteen, the last birthday she spent with her mother, Selina decided to take a week off from work and school, and took her to a tour around Africa. You know, big cats."

"Of course."

"I got this postcard from Helena. She was so excited... She was so open back then,  Alfred. I wish you had known her before Selina's death... She was laughing all the time, goofing around, acting like a normal teenager... She had such a great life, she was happy.  I tried to give her that, I tried so much, but I didn't know how. I couldn't live up to Selina as her mother, so I took another role, her mentor, I made her Huntress because... you remember, her first years with us, don't you? She needed direction so much..."

"And you managed to give her that, Miss Barbara.  And if I may say so, I've known Miss Helena to laugh and goof around from time to time."

"Because that's her personality, not because she likes her life."

"She looks up to you."

"Yet I'm the last person she wants around when she needs someone the most."

"She's a loner, Miss Barbara."

"She wasn't before.  It just hurts to see her in so much pain and not be able to do a thing about it..."

"What are we talking about?" Dinah Lance asked as she made her way towards Barbara and Alfred.  "Is Helena here yet so we can start to party?"

"She's not coming, Dinah." Barbara answered.

"What do you mean, she's not coming? On her birthday... Oh, I know, she's probably going to check up on Reese as a birthday present to herself, right?"

"Not exactly, Miss Dinah." Alfred answered with a smile.

"It's something Helena does annually for her birthday, Dinah.  She says she wants to be alone, sulks for a while, goes to see her mother's grave, then goes back to the bar, gets drunk and sleeps it off."

"Are you serious?"

"Afraid so." Barbara answered as she wheeled herself towards her room.

"What are you doing?"

"Maybe Helena is right and it's better to allow her to be for a night. I'm going to bed."

"But..."

"Goodnight, Dinah, Alfred."

"Goodnight, Miss Barbara."

"But..."

"If you don't need anything else, Miss Dinah, I'm leaving now."

"And where are you going?"

"Back to the manor.  My experience with Miss Helena is that the day after her birthday her home needs a lot of cleaning up."

"Okay, why?"

"Usually throwing and breaking of things comes between the getting drunk and sleeping it off."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"Goodnight, Miss Dinah."

"Night, Alfred." When Alfred left, Dinah looked around her. No one.  Alfred gone, Barbara sleeping, and Helena... Damn, whatever the hell was she doing now surely didn't include her.                                           


	2. Loss

Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS:  All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them.  Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  I want to thank all the nice reviews I got and sorry it took me so long to post the next bit, I hope you enjoy this part.  Also, I forgot to thank my beta-reader in the first chapter, and since she's pretty sure that her work is essential for people to be able to understand what I'm trying to say, I wish to thank her as well.

Chapter II:  Loss

"That's it? Really! World's Greatest Detective is a nickname surely lost in you if you are done chasing me already!" Catwoman teased as she put a porcelain cat on the floor "Come on tall,  dark and broody, it's not fun this way." "Selina..." "Tsk, tsk, tsk... if you're going to blow my secret identity, I'm going to have to use your first name as well Br..." 

"Okay, you're right." Batman came near his lover and encircled her body in his arms "What the hell are you doing?"

_"Stealing, what do you think thieves do?" Catwoman broke the embrace._

_"Be serious.  If this is about this morning..."_

_"You flatter yourself if you think you actually have that effect on me." She was getting mad.  He was probably right._

_"I'm not trying to control your actions..."_

_"Which is why you just chased me for a dozen rooftops because I took a souvenir from the museum."_

_"You know I can't allow you to take that. It's not yours..."_

_"So you have to take me down, easy or hard way, meow, stare, handcuffs, whip, batarang, kiss, not now... I know the drill."_

_"What's going on."_

_"An arrest, why? Are you not paying attention or something?"_

_"Selina..."_

"Damn it Bruce! I'm not freaking Batgirl or Black Canary, okay? I don't report to you, and I don't take orders from you.  If I want to go out at night and steal a cat vase I do it, that's who I am! A thief, because I choose to! I'm free, independent... and you can't say that you love me or want to be with me if you don't accept that little fact! I do as I please, that's me! I'm not changing, so you can either deal with it or be on your way." Catwoman's eyes changed while she gave this little speech, they were cat-looking now, so Batman knew beyond a doubt she was royally pissed with him, never a good thing.  She turned now and was about to jump from the building, she loved to make an exit, but he wasn't about to allow her to go away from him so easily.

_"Wait a minute there Selina, you had your piece, now I'm having mine."_

_"Well, well, Bat's mad, who knew?"_

_"You think this is easy for me? Damn it, I don't know what to make of this... of us.  I know I want to be with you and I'm putting everything I am in the line for that.  I'm trying to respect your space, you life, your choices, I'm doing it! But if I say one thing you don't agree with, you act as if I were a control freak!"_

_"You are a control freak!"_

_"Not with you! Not in that way! Maybe with Robin, Batgirl, ,Canary, Nightwing... you name it, but with you.  I love you, deal with that, okay? And I'm going to ask you about your life and give an opinion if I have one, because my dear, that's what people in a relationship do." This time, it was Batman who started to leave, and a whip on his leg stopped him.  He turned slowly to face his lover._

_"I know... I just have a hard time making compromises... I've put so much time and energy in my independence Bruce..."_

_"I'm not trying to tame you... anymore."_

_"I know, but part of me has subdued because of you, whether I like it or not, I don't want to make you suffer.  I love you too.  That's why I was going to put that blasted thing back into the museum after our little chase session."_

_"You were."_

_"Yeah."_

"I love you Catwoman."

_"I love you Batman."_

_"Let's go home."_

Bruce Wayne sat in a restaurant, looking at the glass of whisky in his hand, remembering.  That seemed to be the only thing he had felt like doing for over seven years.  At first, they had all come to him, asking him to go back to Gotham City, wait, that's not right.  It was call New Gotham now, once it had being rebuilt after the great earthquake... Clark, Diana, Dick, Tim, almost every member of JLA.  But he couldn't.  Were they blind? Didn't they realize it had all been his fault? He had got people killed.  He was supposed to be New Gotham's greatest hero, yet he had being unable to protect his parents from dying, the same with Jason, and then... He would never forget what it was like for him to enter Barbara's apartment. There she had lain, the proud Batgirl, his protege, a woman he had known for years, whom he trusted with his life and counted among not only his associates but among his friends, his family.  And that sick bastard... he had taken pictures of her... Damn bastard! He should've let him die, but he'd had to be a hero, noble, and who had paid the price?

He had rushed with Barbara to the hospital, had said that he had found her in her place, that he had no idea who had done it.  He then had burned the pictures the Joker had taken.  Jim Gordon had been there in a heartbeat, so had been Dick Grayson.  And then, the Prince of Clowns had given him the final blow... The television was on in the waiting room, and Batman had heard the words that had changed his life forever.

"And tonight, murder in New Gotham.  In Lowan Street at 8:46 p.m. an unidentified man attacked businesswoman Selina Kyle, the killer..." He hadn't heard anything else, he had seen nothing but his world tumbling down.  He knew who had done it.  The Joker had killed the one woman he knew Batman loved above any other... Selina... Catwoman... She had officially and publicly dated Bruce Wayne for almost a year, at which time Catwoman's sightings had been few, almost nonexistent.  She had told the rogues that she was using the notorious playboy Bruce Wayne to get in position for Catwoman's next strike. How she had managed to keep the facade for a year, Bruce would never know.  But they had been happy together, they had been in love.

And one day, after the big party he had thrown for Dick when he graduated college, in which everything had seemed okay, she had left.  Batman had searched for her, and he had found a single note in her apartment.  

He took a sip of his whisky, while he read again the piece of paper he had carried ever since:  _All good things must come to an end Bruce, you know it's true.  I love you, but please, if you love me, don't look for me, just let me go.  Forever just isn't real, especially between people like us, I'm sorry.  Selina.  He had felt like dying when he had read the note, she was gone, and she had begged him not to look for her.  Why? She had loved him, he had loved her... Maybe she had decided she wanted out before it was too late... And then he had realized, when Catwoman had simply disappeared from the world, that she had wanted a normal life, something he couldn't give her... and, truth be told, something he had never imagined she would have wanted at all.  But she had asked him for his love to not look for her, and he had respected that._

Then, in a cold hospital's waiting room, he had learned she was dead.  He could deal with her not being by his side... He had still missed her, dreamed of her, prayed for the day their paths would cross again, but at least she had been alive, and he hoped, happy.  But now, the Joker had taken that away as well.  Selina Kyle was dead.  Barbara was in a coma, hopefully she would wake up.  But even if she pulled through, her spine was severed, she would never walk again.  Why? Selina, because she had played in the rooftops with him, because she had fallen in love with the Dark Night and, most importantly in the Joker's mind, Batman had fallen for the Feline Fatale as well.  Barbara, because she had once been a kid who had wanted to play hero and he had allowed her. He had even become his mentor, he had cared about her.

So, the list had become longer... Martha and Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd, Selina Kyle, and God help him, Barbara Gordon.  That had been it, save every other person in the world, get every person you ever loved killed.  Who would be next? Alfred? Jim Gordon? Dick Grayson? Tim Drake? That had been it.  Batman was not going to take away any other person Bruce Wayne had loved...

Leaving New Gotham had not been an easy decision.  He had waited for about two months, and had left the day Alfred had called to inform him that Barbara had pulled through the coma.  Which meant that now all she had to deal with was being crippled.  Alfred had tried to talk to him all the time, but he had been like a ghost, he hadn't talked at all, just pretended he was listening.  He had spent days and night at the Batcave, deciding.  Her costume was there, he had managed to convince Selina to put her Catwoman outfit with his.  He had been glad then, he could stare at it for hours.  As well as pictures. He could drink in her eyes, her face, remember how her body had felt against him at night, her hair on his face, the way she had purred when she had been happy or the way her eyes had changed when she was mad... He'd had to go, the city had been burning his skin.  He had mentored enough trainees to take charge.  He'd had to go.

And he'd done it.  The manor, Wayne Enterprises, the Life, he had left everything.  Had he been a coward? Maybe.  Didn't really care that much anymore.  He was ashamed of not once seeing Barbara Gordon after her attack, not when she had been in a coma, not when she had woken up.  Dick had confronted him about that, but he wouldn't listen. He had been too far gone.  He hadn't gone to Selina's funeral either... He hadn't been able to bear it.  He had gone at night... After all, the night had been their time, always the night... He had cried for hours at her grave, had left her a red rose, plead his eternal love one final time and had never turned back. It would've killed him.

He paid for his drink and headed out.  It was raining, that was a good thing. He liked walking under the rain, so he sent his car home and walked around.  Rain helps you feel alive, and sadly, Batman had a problem feeling alive nowadays.

"Hi." A voice called from behind.  That was a voice he had no problem placing.

"Dick."

"Bruce." He turned slowly to face his son.  Had he ever told him just how much he loved him? Probably not, Dick wouldn't believe him anyway.

"You've aged."

"And you're one to talk." He smiled, it was true.  Dick was in his early forties, he was in his early fifties.

"What are you doing in Berlin?"

"Learning German." Dick replied.  Unflappable, as ever.  Annoying brat. Batman almost smiled.  He had missed him, so much.

"Then I'll leave you to your studies." Bruce started to leave, pretty sure that the man that called himself Nightwing would stop him.

"Bruce wait." He breathed.  So predictable.

"What are you doing here Dick?"

"I came to take you back home."

"I thought you said Bludhaven was your home now."

"You know what I mean Bruce, back to New Gotham."

"I'm fine where I am."

"It's been seven years!"

"Not nearly enough time."

"How long are you going to run away?"

"Why now? We've had this conversation before Dick. But why today?"

If only I could answer that, Bruce, Dick thought.  Part of him wanted to, part of him was screaming to him to tell Bruce the truth.  Barbara would understand, she was only waiting for Batman to come back to New Gotham to reunite him with his daughter... But Helena would simply kill him.  She had made him swear not to tell him, but he had never promised anything about bringing him back.  Helena was twenty-tree today.  She was an adult woman, and she deserved all the pieces of her life.  Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was still a heartbroken kid, one in desperate need of her father.  And his mentor, his father, the broken man in front of him, deserved one last chance at happiness, a reason to be alive.  His daughter.

"Because it has been long enough Bruce, you ought to come back.  Alfred, Barbara, you should see them, you owe it to them..."

"I don't owe anything to anyone, I've paid for everything in my life with more blood than I can remember."

"Bruce, just come with me."

"I can't, son," he said in a voice more endearing than the one he had used with his former Robin for about twenty years.

"Yes you can, and you have to.  Listen to me Bruce! Is life any better here? Tell me you don't think about Selina Kyle when you wake up, when you close your eyes at night, and every moment in within.  Deny you don't dare think about Barbara Gordon because you're ashamed you bailed in someone who put her life on the line every single night for you.  Are you at peace here? Are you happy? Have you moved on?"

"Shut up!" Bruce screamed.  Good thing they were still in the street, it was so noisy, no one even cared.

"See, Bruce? You're not done with that city, there are more loose ends than you can even begin to imagine.  For over seven years now, you've been a dead man walking among the living. Put an end to this... if you only knew... all you could have... how many people need you so badly... Please Bruce, come with me, I'm begging you."

Bruce Wayne stared at the child he had raised as his own.  Richard Grayson was a proud man, a strong man, a man that hated to beg for anything, especially in front of him. Something in his eyes was pleading to his father. Maybe it was time to face some old ghosts.  They stared at each other for a few seconds until Bruce spoke again.

"Alright... Take me home, son."

Carolyn Lance was in New Gotham again.  How many more times could she pull that one? She had come back looking for her daughter, and had been surprised to find her living with Barbara Gordon, the Oracle, and Helena Kyle, the Huntress.  Dinah's reaction to meeting her mother again had been hardly enthusiastic, and Carolyn had been more than willing to take the blame for that.  

Al Hawke had tracked her down and attacked.  The only good thing that had come out of the whole incident had been the fact that she had finally made some sort of peace with Dinah, and had told her daughter that she was proud of her.  Had she ever told her that during the six years she had had her? Back then Carolyn had been so busy being Black Canary that she had probably not paid enough attention to her child.  She had thought she could do it all, be a super-hero and a mom, but she had been wrong...

It had been kind of insulting at first... The explosion and fire that hadn't managed to kill Al Hawke, a simple human, had managed to kill Black Canary, the meta-human, the legend. Yeah, right.  But it had worked out for her.  She had been in pretty bad condition and she hadn't wanted Dinah to see her like that, especially when her daughter had been starting her training and a whole new life... Maybe she simply wasn't meant to be a part of Dinah's new life.  Oracle would take good care of her, maybe Catwoman Jr. too, although Carolyn was still not crazy about that one.

She had left the town, had met with some old friends who had helped her out.  And now, she was in one piece again, and had decided she had to go to Dinah.  But this time it would be different, she had to realize the truth, accept it:  She had abandoned her daughter ten years ago, Barbara Gordon was her legal guardian now.  Dinah had a life Carolyn couldn't force her to leave,  and Barbara was right. Dinah didn't need a mother now, she had her mentor.

But Dinah had to know that her mother was still alive, and that she would be by her side if she ever needed her.  If Dinah wanted to get to know her, Carolyn would be there, not just a regret in her young life.  Black Canary would leave New Gotham as soon as she talked to Dinah, it was not her city to protect anymore, there were already three heroes for that.

"Do you have everything ready?" she asked, daring the man in front of her to answer her in a negative fashion.

"Yes."

"Really? I don't like failures... really don't.  And this is sooooo important to me, you know?"

"I understand it madam, and I guarantee you, everything is taken care of."

"Do you? You see, this is a question of both work and love... I haven't seen the beautiful white face of my Mistah J in quite sometime... Neither have I heard his infectious laughter or stroked his green hair, so I would be very, VERY disappointed if your little mission were to fail."

"It won't."

"You'd better make sure of that, or you're a dead man.  Go away now." Without another word, the man left Dr. Harleen Quinzel's office.  "Hang on Mistah J, Harley is coming..." she sang to herself.


	3. Beginning

Chapter III:Beginnings

_"Dad..." was the first thing Barbara Gordon had said as she woke up in the hospital.She was not alone in the room.Jim Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth and Richard Grayson were by her side.Alfred could see the tears falling down the old Commissioner's eyes, as well from Dick's. Truth be told, Alfred could feel tears falling down his face as well.He felt a great weight was lifted from his shoulders the moment the young woman had opened her eyes... so after some words had been exchanged about how happy they all were she was going to be fine and how much they all loved Barbara and the doctor came in, he had excused himself and gotten to the nearest phone._

::Hello?:: a voice far too tired had answered.

_"Master Bruce, this is Alfred.I'm glad to inform you that Miss Barbara just woke up." There was a strange silence in the line, after which Bruce finally answered._

_::Tell her I'm happy about her recovery.:: and then he hanged up.Alfred knew Bruce had been acting different since Miss Barbara had being shot and since Miss Selina... well, he was not doing well.But this was unbelievable! They had all been waiting for two months for her to pull through, afraid she would never wake up... Master Dick was so thin it was painful to see, and that was all he had to say? He would have to push his buttons once he got back to the mansion. _

_He made his way back to Miss Barbara's room, but found Dick was waiting for him in the corridor in front of his ICU's room._

_"Alfred wait." Dick said._

_"Any problems Master Dick?" he asked, and then realized what was going on.Through the window glass he could see it, the pain in the Commissioner's eyes, the tears streaming down Miss Barbara's face as the doctor spoke with his head down.They were telling her she was never going to be able to walk again... such as low blow to Batgirl._

_"I can't believe this!" Dick Grayson was mad, crying, wanting to hit something all at the same time "She finally recovers, Babs wakes up and... to what? I'm sorry Miss Gordon but you're never walking again... such a vital person... so much she has done and still could do..."_

_"Master Dick," Alfred decided it was better to interrupt the young man "if you allow me to say this, Miss Barbara is a strong woman, she's going to get over this and will probably be even stronger after it.Let's wait, I'm sure she will manage to surprise us one more time."_

_"I hope so Alfred, I hope so." He could see the painful plea in his blue eyes for her to be okay, he shared it._

_After a while, when she had calmed down, they both went back into her room.Alfred stayed with them for about an hour, that was when Bruce Wayne's flowers arrived.After that, Dick and him decided to allow father and daughter some time alone.Barbara, as always, was trying to put on a strong facade and trying to convince them she would be alright.Dick wanted to make some calls to Bludhaven so he went to his apartment, he decided it was better not to be in the Manor.Alfred went back to his Master Bruce._

_When he arrived, not a sound greeted him.He walked through the house, searched every room and he couldn't find him.Finally, he went down to the Batcave, this is were Bruce Wayne spent more of his time since tragedy had stroke once again._

_No one._

_"Master Bruce?"_

_Nothing._

_"Master Bruce?"_

_He stepped in.Her mask laid on the floor.He reached for it, Miss Selina'smask.He hadn't seen her in seventeen years, but he was still so in love with her.Alfred himself couldn't even understand why she had left so suddenly, but he would forever be thankful to her... she had made Bruce Wayne a breathing, feeling, living man once again._

_He wasn't in the Batcave, neither in the Manor.Some of his clothes were missing, as well as one suitcase.He didn't need to look further, he knew Bruce Wayne was gone, and he was afraid it might be for good._

_He went back to the hospital, still in a daze... Master Bruce... gone.When he arrived, Dick Grayson was there again and he and Jim Gordon were talking to Barbara.He entered and she greeted him with a smile, she was so much better now... she would never cease to amaze him._

_"Hi Alfred, I'm glad you're back."_

_"I can say the same thing about you Miss Barbara."_

_"How is Bruce doing?" Dick ask_

_"Is something wrong with Bruce?" Barbara asked concerned._

_"Barbara, I think you should focus on yourself..." her father started._

_"Please dad, I'm alright now."_

_"You know that isn't exactly true." Alfred could see a flash of pain cross her eyes, but she wasn't ready yet to deal with the fact of what had happened to her and what her future would be like._

_"I'll get by. What's wrong with Bruce." She was a bit more forceful this time._

_"Okay Babs," Dick started "the same night the... the..."_

_"Joker, Dick, you can say it."_

_"Fine.The Joker came after you, that wasn't it.We were all in here, in the waiting room, and it was all over the news, Selina Kyle was murdered, stabbed.They didn't know who it was but we knew it right on:the Joker had her killed."_

_"What?"_

_"I didn't even know she was back..."_

_"Oh my God! Dick! Is Selina dead?" tears were forming in Barbara's eyes. Alfred knew she was fond of Selina, but he could say there was something else._

_"Yes Babs, she died at once..."_

_"Helena!" she screamed.._

_"Who is Helena?" Dick asked, Jim Gordon and Alfred had equally blank stares._

_"Dick please, call Bruce!! I need to talk to Bruce!! Damn it, I've being here for two months... she can be anywhere..."_

_"Babs, who on earth...?"_

_"Dick listen to me, I NEED TO SEE BRUCE NOW." She was clinging to his shirt now, desperation clear in her face._

_"I'm afraid that's not possible Miss Barbara." Alfred interrupted, all eyes where suddenly on him."When I got back to the Manor, Master Bruce was gone."_

_"WHAT???!!!" three shocked voice asked at the same time._

_"I called Master Bruce when Miss Barbara woke up.Then, when I got back to the manor he was gone."_

_"It figures." Dick started "He's being so far gone for two months... he probably wants nothing to do with New Gotham anymore."_

_"Oh no, no, no, no, no..." __Barbara was crying now.Alfred had never seen her like this before.She looked so... guilty?_

_"Barbara, it's going to be okay." Gordon tried to comfort his daughter, but she broke away from him._

_"NO! You don't understand... Helena..." she was having difficulty talking about this.She took a deep breath and decided to come clean with the whole thing already."Helena Kyle is Selina's daughter." Everyone was shocked.Alfred looked straight at her eyes, asking an unspoken question.He could feel his blood boiling inside of him, already sensing what was coming, and suddenly mad about the whole situation, mad with the young woman crying in front of him. "Helena is sixteen... she's Bruce's daughter."_

_"WHAT?" Gordon asked.Alfred just closed his eyes, it wasn't his place to say anything, as Dick hit a wall._

_"How long have you known Barbara?" Grayson asked through clenched teeth._

_"Wait a minute Grayson..." Gordon tried to calm him down._

_"No dad... let him." She looked at him, tears in both their eyes "Dick, I drove Selina to the airport that day... when she left Bruce, she went to Paris.Helena was born there." Alfred could feel his heart breaking in little pieces.Dick Grayson was no way nearly done._

_"Why? Why did you do this to him Barbara?"_

_"I never meant... Selina had found out she was pregnant a couple of days before your big party, after you had graduated from college, you and Bruce had been already having problems, so she didn't want to leave him before that, she had wanted to at least see you two make amends and he would've been heartbroken without her that day... she didn't mean to tell anyone.Bruce had sent me to leave her some papers and I had figured I would show her this time and surprise her by picking her doorknob, she had taught me how to.So, I entered her apartment... she wasn't in the living room, so I went into her bedroom... she was in the bathroom, I could hear her... she had sensed me and opened the door at once... but I had already seen the pregnancy test in her nightstand.I already knew she was pregnant."_

_"Why didn't you tell Bruce right away? Why did Selina leave? She thought Bruce wouldn't want the baby?"_

_"Selina knew him better than that... she was sure he would be thrilled... she wanted to tell him so bad... but she was afraid, for her child."_

_"Afraid?"_

_"The moment she knew she was pregnant, Catwoman died.She knew, she couldn't be a mother and wear spandex to race through the rooftops at the same time, so she retired.She wanted to be a mother to her baby.But she also knew... if someone ever learned Batman had a child..."_

_"They would come after the child."_

_"Seventeen years later, they came for her because they knew once he loved her.They came for me, for Jason... she was right.And you know him, he would never stop being Batman, he needed to be."_

_"So she left to give the baby a fresh start."_

_"And she asked me not to tell him, or she knew he would never allow her to go.After the party, she left a note for him in her place, and prepared to leave.I didn't want her to do it all alone, she was way too nervous to drive.And that way, I made her promise that in exchange for my shutting up, she would allow me to be a part of their life, so I could at least see the baby was growing up okay.And Dick, I swear, she was a wonderful mother to her... she loved her so much and Helena, she's so... amazing, she's so happy... it all worked out for the best."_

_"Not, for Bruce, it didn't, Barbara.For two months that man has being dying... it would've meant the world to him to know he had some reason to be alive... I can understand Selina, she was the mother, but you... you should've told him."_

_"We can play the guilt game later Dick, now we have to find Helena."_

_Alfred was still in shock while all this was spoken... Helena Kyle... Helena Wayne... another Wayne... born in the same star her father had apparently, since she had lost her mother, in front of her eyes, daughter of Master Bruce and Miss Selina...and he was gone.He didn't know... and he had abandoned his little girl, deserted his daughter when she needed him the most.If only Master Bruce had known he was a father... he had fathered Miss Selina's child of all people... things would have turned out so different._

_"Where can she be?" Dick was asking now, they were all business again._

_"Didn't you see her at the funeral?"_

_"Tones of people, I kept my distance."_

_"Great.Her first idea would've probably been to come to me... tall girl, thin, quite the looker, long dark hair and blue eyes.Resembles Bruce a lot as a matter of fact."_

_"She wasn't here."_

_"I'm guessing she went to my apartment, saw the blood and freaked out.Oh, God..."_

_"What?"_

_"She has no idea who her father is and her mother is dead and she doesn't have anyone else... tell that story to Social Services..."_

_"Do you think they put her in a home or something?"_

_"Helena Kyle! Yeah right! She probably run away and no one has any idea were to find her.That's something she would do under the circumstances."_

_"Any particular place you can think of?"_

_"Like places she and Selina liked? She wouldn't go there, that would be predictable.She could be... anywhere."_

_"We'll fin her." Dick stated "Even if we have to search the whole planet, we'll find her... don't tell anyone else, don't want to make an scare teenager a rogue's target.Commissioner, help me out in the public city, I go underground.Don't worry, we're bringing my little sister home.And while we're at it, let's try to figure out were daddy went_

_ _

_ _

_ _

Alfred knocked on the door to Helena's little apartment above the club.He couldn't understand why Bruce Wayne's daughter would choose to live in some filthy room and work as a bartender, when she could very well claim Wayne Manor, Wayne Foundation and Wayne Enterprises as her own.But Miss Helena Kyle was very hard to understand, she was simply acontradiction... the only other woman he had ever met who could exasperate him quite this much was Selina Kyle, yet he had a fond memory of the late Catwoman.No one answered.No surprises there.He knocked again and this time a very dishelved looking Helena opened the door.

"Good morning Miss Helena."

"Alfred." She all but grunted.

"I came to clean the mess I'm sure you have in here." She just stood out of his way.He was not mistaken.He could see broken mirrors and empty bottles in the floor, some of the furniture had been attacked as well and Helena's black cat was playing with what once was a pillow.And that was just the first layer.

"Phantom." The cat meowed at him.He would never understand that name.

Helena walked to her bathroom and washed her face.She looked so much like her father sometimes Alfred thought he was going to cry only by looking at her.He remembered a time when Bruce Wayne was as haunted as his daughter was, only that he wasn't that... aggressive about it.He rather go out at night and play Batman.For Helena, she went out every night as the Huntress, but she also needed to break things from time to time.If only she would see it... if he could hold her in his arms as he ached to do, so she wouldn't look so sad.She masked it as well as she could, but Alfred could see the same scared little girl he once met, the little girl that missed her mother so much.

"Miss Helena..." he called.

"Yeah?" she answered as she helped him pick up stuff.

"I know your birthday was yesterday, but since we didn't bump into each other..." he handed her a little package he had carried in his pocket since the day before.

"Oh Alfred... you didn't have to bother." She smile sweetly at him, she had the most beautiful smile, sadly he didn't see it that often.She was awed when she opened it.

"It wasn't a bother at all Miss Helena, and I hope you like it."

"Alfred this is amazing! Thank you!" she run like a six-year-old to the mirror, an unbroken one that is.It was a necklace, a gold necklace with three beautiful and delicate emeralds.She tried it on and was surprised when she felt Alfred's hands behind her neck, helping her. "Thanks."

"It suits you well."

"It's so beautiful."

"I found it at the manor.Your father stored it." He could see the young woman stiffen at the mention of her father, Alfred prayed she would some day accept Bruce Wayne as that, see that it wasn't his fault at all... but his duty was to choke up his anger and remained silent. "It belonged to your mother."

"What?" her voice was a faint whisper.

"Master Bruce and Miss Selina attended many parties together, and Miss Selina usually spent the night at the manor.This particular necklace, if I'm not mistaken, was a present, from Master Bruce on her birthday.She loved it, she wore it with anything that matched.Master Bruce thought she left it at the manor on purpose, he was probably right.I think Miss Selina would have wanted you to have it today Miss Helena, it meant a lot to her, and so did you." 

"Thank you Alfred." She whispered.Where those tears forming in her eyes? He couldn't tell, but he felt a wetness in his cheek where she kissed him.

He smiled, and although he wanted to tell her his father would have wanted her to have it as well, he remained silent and continued cleaning her place.

"OH MY GOD!" Oracle said as soon as the elevator opened.It was ten in the morning and she figured it was Helena after her birthday blues.

"Hi Barbara." Black Canary, a.k.a. Carolyn Lance stood, in one piece, in front of her.

"I thought... we all thought..."

"I was dead? You're not really doing a good job as Oracle these days, you know?"

"I'm so happy to see you." Barbara embraced the other hero as she allowed her entrance to her secret lair "How...?"

"Long story short? So many burnt bodies you couldn't identified all of them, I managed to crawl out of there, but I couldn't come here.Dinah didn't need to watch me die, she had already lost me twice, I couldn't subject her to it all for a third time.But I made it, and now..."

"You want your daughter back?"

"No.I mean, of course I do, but she doesn't need me now, she just needs to know her mother is still alive."

"I can't believe it Carolyn..."

"Neither can I, but I'm here.And, where is she?"

"Dinah? Oh, she went to school."

"Don't you work there?"

"I didn't have any classes until the afternoon."

"I see."

"I don't know what to say Carolyn."

"That's a first one... do you mind if I...?"

"Stay? Not at all! Dinah is going to be so happy... we should just call her and have her come back to the lair..."

"No Barbara, it's okay, I can wait, gives me more time to think what I'm going to say."

"She missed you a lot."

"So did I." 

"Do you want something... coffee?"

"Sure, thanks." Carolyn made herself comfortable while Barbara searched for everything in the kitchen.For someone who had lived for such a long time in the Clocktower, she just didn't look like she knew where everything was that well.What Carolyn didn't know was that Barbara had taken the opportunity to take a scan of Black Canary and confirmed her identity, in their line of work, they couldn't take chances.

"Where is Alfred?" she asked, remembering fondly the old butler she had first met in Wayne Manor, such a long time ago.

"Helena's place, probably cleaning a big mess.After all, technically, he works for her." The reminder sting Carolyn.Helena Kyle, daughter of the cat burglar, Selina Kyle and...

"And where is the thief's dau... Helena."

"You know Carolyn," Barbara said as she returned with two cups of coffee "you could try and be nicer to Helena, she's a good girl, Dinah cares a great deal about her, she saved her life, apparently yours as well and is as good as Selina ever was, so you don't want to cross her."

"I took Catwoman down a couple of times."

"If that is how you want to remember it..." Barbara tried to contain her smile.

"What do you mean?"

"You cornered her and before things ever got interesting Batman came in and told you to leave or chase someone else..."

"So he could let her go.I never understood, Bruce was such a wonderful man..."

"And he loved her Carolyn, I'm sorry if you don't want to hear it, but Helena is the living prove..."

"Having a child with someone doesn't equals love Barbara." Oracle decided not to push her in that subject, she had no idea how touchy it could be.

"You were there, you know they were in love."

"She never deserved him."

"That's your opinion.But I'll tell you one thing about Selina Kyle:she was a wonderful mother and Helena loved her a great deal, so lay off the comments about her.And the way things were between you and Catwoman, they weren't her fault, she wasn't even born, so let her alone."

"Protecting the kitten?"

"I've known her since she was a baby, I just..."

"Whoa, whoa... wait a second... how long?"

"Excuse me?"

"I figured you met her after Catwoman died... you knew all along?" Barbara remained in silence, being this more eloquent that anything she could've said."He's going to kill you." Was all Carolyn said.

Detective Jesse Reese sat at his desk.11:00 a.m.Slow hour.The morning was hardly a time murderers chose for the kill, the night was a far too better cover.He took the opportunity to get the paperwork done, so truth be told, he was royally bored.

And if he was going to keep being honest with himself, he had another incentive to wait expectantly for the night this days...

Huntress.

What kind of a name is Huntress?

That's simply not the way you refer to a woman.

Although this particular woman sure could pull off the name.

He smiled as he took a sip from his coffee, Huntress was one hell of a woman, he had never in his life met anyone like her.Sure he was this close to having a heart-attack from her sudden appearances behind him, but he looked forward to their encounters.

He felt guilty about it in a way.She was a vigilante, she was breaking the law as much as the guys she helped him get into jail... yet he enjoyed her company, although he tried to put a big show about how he didn't care when she was around, she saw right through him.

Then again, you can't miss much if you have goddamn cat eyes, can you?

She was also the weirdest person he had met.And a part of him screamed that he should put her behind the bars... not that he could even if he tried, he remembered their first encounter, she had thrown his handcuffs at him so easily... how the hell did she got out of them? They weren't a toy!

The problem was, the other part of him, had being so mad... jealous, truthfully... when she said Darkstrike was with her, how the hell did he get so close to her all of a sudden? And he had being happy... overjoyed actually... when she had looked so uncertain, almost vulnerable, asking if the DA was something to him... she actually cared! Good! Because she was playing rounds in his brain 24/7.

Who the hell was her anyway? Huntress wasn't all she was, she had to have a name and a life, and he wanted so bad to be entrusted with the big secret.She was one of the good guys, he was certain of that now, but he needed to know more, he wanted to know everything.He liked mysterious women as much as the next man, but this was simply too much.

She didn't jump him yesterday, and he had gotten like five low-lifes in! Why did she miss it? Where was she? Why did he care?

He went through his files again, and hoped he would see her tonight.


	4. Home

Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS:All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them.Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

Chapter IV:Home

_"What are you doing here?" Carolyn Lance had asked the intruder._

"I'm in my boyfriend's shirt, in my boyfriend's kitchen, fetching breakfast for two, really Birdie, what do you think I'm doing?" she had answered, cocky as always.God, she was annoying!

_"You don't belong here thief!"_

_"You know, you don't really live here either, so shouldn't you be shutting up right about now, Canary?" Selina Kyle went back to the refrigerator, searching for some orange juice._

_"One thing is if you two want to screw around on the rooftops, but for you to..."_

_"Hey! How do you mistake 'shut up' with 'please, voice your opinion on an issue that has nothing to do with you'?!" Selina was losing the battle with her temper as Carolyn Lance continued playing around dangerously close to her last nerve.She hated this woman, although she didn't like to admit it to herself, mainly because the reason was so mundane, so beneath Catwoman, or Batman, or even Black Canary for crying out loud! But Carolyn wasn't making coexistence that easy either._

_"It is my business when one of New Gotham's more known criminals spends the night in my lair and walks around like she owns the place!"_

_"It's not your lair Canary, it's Batman's, and now that I think about it, this isn't even a lair! It's Bruce's house, not the Batcave!If you'll excuse me, I'm going to continue my walking around towards HIS bedroom, where I so obviously spend the night, not alone I might add." Carolyn felt like giving her a taste of the Canary's Cry right there and then, until her ears bled, but Batman wouldn't like it.But it just hurt so much to see them together... Why her?!_

_"You're just keeping his bed warm until he chooses someone more worthy of him." She saw Selina shudder.Good.She wanted to hurt Selina, as much as Catwoman hurt her when she kissed him, when she touched him, when she whispered in his ear... Selina laid the tray she was carrying on the stairs and turned slowly to face Carolyn.Her eyes had gone cat, Carolyn was ready to blast the little feline the minute she as much as meowed.Selina Kyle was a worthy adversary, Canary could rend anyone unconscious with her cry, but Catwoman was fast enough to avoid the sonic attack 9 out of 10 times, if she was focused... which she probably wasn't now._

_"Even if that were true Carolyn, he still didn't invite you to his bed, did he?" _

_Carolyn felt as if someone was cutting her heart open._

_"You're the biggest mistake Bruce ever made Selina, one day he's going to realize it and then you're out of here."_

_"How does it feel Carolyn?" Selina was no longer listening to her, she was hunting her prey now, so she had to stayed focused on her strategy, no matter what distractions came along the way._

_"You're just a body to him..."_

_"In all the stories, fairy tales, myths... the good girl gets the boy.You're right about one thing Lance, I'm not a good girl, and he still loves me."_

_"Dark fascination with evil things, he'll grow out of it..."_

_"You don't get prince charming good girl, the bad kitty does.Does it hurt? I guess so, you're on his team, you follow every single order he gives, you are a heroine, a legend, and then I come in..."_

_"Shut up!"_

_"I make him chase me around, I steal things, I booby trap him, whip him, claw him, laugh at his orders... and he still wants me."_

_"You are..."_

_"The woman he loves Canary.Deal with it.I'm here now, he won't be yours.I'm sorry but you've got to open your eyes here, he's not interested.Get over it." Before Carolyn could answer, Selina was gone.Damn cat abilities! She practically disappeared in thin air, with her breakfast tray, back to Bruce Wayne's bed and arms._

_What Carolyn Lance never knew while she left the manor, was that Selina Kyle's biggest fear was everything she had just said.That Bruce would be attracted to her because she was a 'bad girl', that he would get over it when she was falling so hard for him, that she was just a one night stand to him.But when Selina brought him breakfast in bed and he smiled, embraced her while he took his juice, kissed her and told her that he loved her, she believed him.She prayed to be right, that he loved her as much as she loved him, and she kissed him back._

_ _

_ _

Dinah Lance had been so excited to see her mother alive! She had cried so hard! She was so thankful for the chance to be with her again, to get to know the woman she had almost forgotten in the ten years she had spent without her.With a nod, Barbara confirmed that she wasn't dreaming. This was her mother, no some meta-villain posing as her, no dream, no phantom, but the real thing:Carolyn Lance, Black Canary was home.It was already 4:00 p.m.Dinah and her mother had been talking for about two hours, Barbara was politely allowing them some privacy, when she felt the elevator rise.She knew who it was right away, so did Dinah.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late but I felt bad about poor Alfred doing everythi... Black Canary!" to say Huntress was startled was an understatement.

Carolyn Lance's eyes flashed when she saw her necklace... she had seen it so many times before... in Catwoman's neck.Bruce bought it, he had even asked advice from Barbara and herself before buying it... He was so oblivious for the World's Greatest Detective.She hated that necklace, it reminded her of how much Bruce loved someone else... so did Helena.But it wasn't the young woman's fault.Truth be told it hadn't been either Bruce's or Selina's, it was just easier to be mad at her, she was one of the rogues after all.But she was long dead.This child was blameless.Carolyn still didn't like her, too much of her mother on her, but she could at least be civil.

"Helena." Was all she said, but she tried to be polite.

"I thought you were... I mean, I'm glad you're not! Is this really Canary?"

"Helena!" Dinah called her, although she could understand her doubts. She had shared them.

"I'm sorry Dinah, it's just..."

"It's okay Helena," Barbara answered "This is Canary."

"Okay... it's good you're back." Helena managed.This may be Dinah's mother, but she was also the woman who had called her 'thief's daughter', whether that was true or not, she had said it with scorn, and she had accused her mother of 'stealing her childhood', which was silly from a woman who abandoned her daughter, while Helena's mother had given everything else up to actually give her a normal childhood.But she could be civil.

"Thank you." She answered, and with that Helena left for the gym.She felt like training now that the hangover was gone.

"That went well." Dinah commented.

"Better than I expected." Barbara added.

"I just came here to see you, Dinah." Carolyn said.Dinah smiled and embraced her mother.

"I know mom, I know."

While mother and daughter went back to talking, Barbara decided she wouldn't be missed now.It was good to see Dinah patch things over with her mother. Maybe it was Barbara's turn to help out her... protege.

Where was he? They never told him.How long had he been there? Who knows! What the hell did it matter! The only important thing was... was there something important going on? How would he know? He was locked up! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

At least in the old days he had been sent to Arkham, that was a good place... he could go in an out as he pleased, although the shrinks didn't particularly encouraged it! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

But at least all the rogues where there! All his fellow rogues! And how much fun would they have together! Oh, the old times! Hiding Harvey's coin, watering Ivy's flowers with paint, playing with fire near good old John Crane, drawing glasses and a moustache in the Ventriloquist's little puppet... then again they didn't seem to enjoy the old days as much as he did... that's probably why he was always in isolation! HA HA HA HA HA HA...

Oh hell! What was the point? Having all these great jokes and no one to laugh at them! The guards where no fun and he had been sent away from Arkham, Gotham, the Ha Hacienda... there was no one to laugh at his jokes.

Harley would laugh, the thought entered his troubled mind.Of course! Harley Quinn! HIS Harley Quinn! That little stupid blonde... Oh, how he missed hitting her with buckets, newspapers, logs, whatever he could find... and the face she would make whenever he sent her crushing to a wall... what had become of Harley? He hadn't seen her in who-knows-how-long, which probably meant that she had no idea where he was, or else, she would have come for him already.Whenever she did, he was going to have to break her leg or something for taking so long... he just laid back, contentedly waiting for that day...

He would go back, see how well Batman took his good-bye gifts, two for one! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA... oh, never mind.

The Bat-witch was just the most boring thing he had run into in his whole life, he couldn't see anyone minding that much! Then again, Batman didn't like it when he killed Robin-annoying, how the hell did he resurrect anyway? Never mind.Bats simply had no sense of humor! And in any case, he didn't kill Barbie-Bat, did he? He left pictures to prove he didn't! The nerve!

Catty was such a pity though! Such a spirit... in one hell of a body! She was once one of the rogues, so he didn't particularly dislik her... Selina was fun, and looked smoking in that cat outfit! But Bat-Boy had the hots for her, sorry Selina, pum! It was simple, he had to prove Batman that he wasn't joking around... So if he was going to go to the mad house, girlfriendless he might add, so was Batman.Sorry Bats, au revoir chat! Poor kitty...

He suddenly heard noises from outside, wherever outside was! A disguised man was taking down all the guards! You go big ugly brute! The brute was now standing in front of him.

"Joker?" he asked.The nerve! Who doesn't know THE JOKER!!!! He was about to snap his neck, although he wasn't quite sure how to get his hands near his neck with the containing cell and all, when he added the phrase that saved his life."Harley Quinn sent me."

Well, well, well, apparently, he wouldn't have to wait any longer! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

Helena was already in her second round of hitting things when she felt Barbara Gordon's presence.Sometimes Barbara would come to see her train, give her some pointers, like she needed any! 'Don't be so cocky' was one of her favorites, so she thought nothing of it.

"So..." Barbara started.Damn! We're doing the talking thing, Helena thought."You enjoyed your birthday?"

"Sure! It was a jolly-holly day." She answered, not particularly liking the conversation.

"You could've had a better time if you had allowed us to share it with you."

"Look Barbara," she stopped her training to face her mentor, "Birthdays aren't supposed to be fun.You get older, what's to be happy about? I'm just more honest about it than most people, who pretend it's something to celebrate."

"You used to had fun at your birthday." Helena felt like someone had punched her.Barbara was one of the few people that knew her whole story, including her relationship with her mother, for her to bring it up... it just made Helena mad.

"I'm not Helena anymore, remember? I'm Huntress." She took her towel and started to leave, she knew that she had stunned Barbara enough with her answer. But the former Batgirl was not ready to give up yet.

"Helena wait!" luckily, Helena halted on Barbara's command."I didn't mean to hurt you..."

"Then can you please drop this Barbara?" For the first time in years, her voice when she addressed Barbara was pleading.She hoped the older woman would stop, but she knew what Barbara was thinking:If she allowed her to go on like this... she had to stop it.

"I can't do that anymore Helena.You have to understand this:you're not alone."

"Yeah right."

"What do you mean 'yeah right'?! Don't you see us in front of you? Me? Alfred? Dinah? We're here with you!"

"Not you're not Barbara!You're just all here but that doesn't mean I'm not alone!"

"What do you...?"

"You know what I would've liked for my birthday?" Now tears where falling from her eyes, she hadn't cried in front of Barbara since she had been a kid."I want what Dinah has right now! Canary was supposed to be dead but somehow she's back here, she and Dinah got another chance! I don't get one Barbara! My mom is dead! Really dead! Where's my second chance to have a family?!" 

Barbara didn't know what to say, she wanted so much to hold Helena in her arms and promise her that everything would be okay, like she had done a lifetime ago. But she couldn't make that promise anymore.In seven years, she hadn't made everything alright for Helena, because she, the living Oracle, had no idea how to accomplish it.

"I can't give you your mom back Helena." Barbara said, tears falling from her eyes as well. To love a person so much and not be able to fill the void in her life... it was killing her."I wish I could, but all I can give you is my hand, for you to take whenever you need it.I'm HERE FOR YOU, Helena, I have always been."

"You don't understand..."

"Then why don't you help me understand, damn it! What do you want me to do? I'm out of ideas here! I'm willing to do anything you need..."

"There's nothing you can do! There's nothing ANYONE can do!"

"That's not true Helena! Do you think Selina would have wanted for you to be standing here like this? She always wanted for you to be happy."

"Well, I don't think that much of my current life is what my mother would have wanted."

"What do you mean?"

"She wouldn't have wanted for me to become Huntress, and you know it." Barbara felt as if a knife was thrown at her.For years she had wondered, as well as many other people, she reminded herself, if she had done the right thing.The mess Helena Kyle was right now, was a decent indication that she maybe had not.

"I'm sorry," was all she could say.

"You don't have to be Barbara..." Helena regretted the words the moment they left her mouth.She didn't mean to blame Barbara... Hell, Barbara was the only reason she was standing still, the only person who had been there for her in the long run, but sometimes it was so hard."I didn't mean it like that... I'm just... going through my birthday breakdown, better stay clear of me until I get it all together, okay?"

"Helena..."

"Just let it go Barbara!"

"Twenty-tree years-olds aren't supposed to have yearly breakdowns!"

"Well, this one does.I can live with this, so should you!"

"I can't anymore! Helena, get this through that thick skull of yours, I love you and..."

"This conversation is over Barbara! I mean it! Now please, leave so I can continue with my training, or stay here but please, leave me the hell alone!" Helena didn't understand why, but whenever Barbara said that she loved her... Loving her got people killed.Selina had loved her so much that she had taken her away so no one would know that Batman had a child, so Helena wouldn't become a target.And then, Selina had become a target herself.Barbara had kept her secret, and if she hadn't, chances were the Joker would not have come after her that night, but after Helena.She wasn't safe, she was to blame for her mother's death, and in a way, for Barbara being in that chair.

Barbara knew that the conversation was really over.Helena just couldn't handle the 'I love you' part, she couldn't help but wonder why, if it was so true.She didn't dare call Helena her daughter, because any attempt to replace Selina Kyle would set the young woman off, and that wouldn't help at all.But she thought of her as such, she had known her all her life, she had played with her when she was a baby, talked to her when she was a teenager and taken her in when she was alone.Barbara loved her. Helena was, in a sense, her daughter... Dick had once said that Selina had given birth to Helena and that Barbara had given birth to Huntress... Barbara didn't care about Helena because she was Huntress, she cared for Helena Kyle, the child she had met twenty-tree years ago.Maybe one day they would be able to have this conversation.For now, she just left, after leaving a little package on the floor.

Helena turned when she was sure Barbara was gone.She was about to take her aggressions back to the sack in front of her, but something on the floor caught her eye.It was a flat, rectangular package wrapped in gift paper.She knew Barbara had left it for her, her birthday present, she had gotten one for her since her first birthday.She approached it and sat by its side.She felt terrible, but she had issues letting people, even Barbara, get close to her.Helena just wish she could make Barbara proud, but all she accomplished was to be a pain in the ass.She unwrapped her gift and suppressed a gasp at what greeted it.

It was a framed pictured of herself and her mother.It had been taken the day Helena had been born.Selina Kyle looked tired, but as beautiful as Helena remembered her.She was holding her daughter closely to her chest, looking down at her and smiling.Helena had seen pictures of that day before, but she had never seen this one.After so many years with Oracle, if she had become something was curious, and a clue was a clue... She opened the frame from behind, luckily she didn't have to break it.As she suspected, there was something written there, and it was in her mother's handwriting.She smiled as she read.

_ _

_Dear Barbara,_

_Look what I did! Her name is Helena Kyle, she's healthy and perfect.I hope you can meet her very soon my friend, I want her to meet her Auntie Barbara.I made you a promise, that you would be a part of her life and I'm sticking to it, because of all the people I can imagine being a part of my daughter's life, you're the best one._

_Love,_

_Selina_

_ _

Helena put the photo back into its frame.She looked again at her mother's face.Selina was right, of all the people that became a part of Helena's life, Barbara Gordon was the best one.Helena just didn't know how to say it to her face.

Detective Jesse Reese had been doing his nightly patrol when he had been called from the station.It had been one of the strangest calls he had gotten in his life.Apparently, there had been a breaking... at the zoo.Most criminals went for the bank, jewelry stores, but not the freaking zoo! Still, some guards had been shot, so it was an homicide case. He had to go check it out.The zoo! He was still distracted, so he didn't notice the woman lying on his car's door until she called him.

"Hi there, Detective!"

"Huntress!" he was startled at first.She was smiling, and he had to admit that he was happy to see her.

"I'm having a slow night, do you have something interesting?"

"I feel like I have the mother of all jokes in my hands..."

"Pardon me?"

"Never mind... Missed you last night, I have a few trash bags for you to hit if you feel like it..." He meant it as a joke, but still he didn't miss her grim expression.

"Night off."

"You get those?"

"Not usually, but last night was an exception."

"I see... Can I ask why it was an exception?"

"You can, not than I'm answering anyway."

"You've got to be the most difficult..."

"Here we go again... look Reese, I need something to punch and my associate is not giving me much... do you have something?"

"Actually I do, but you're going to think I'm kidding you."

"Spit."

"Someone broke into the zoo."

"The zoo?" she asked, unconvinced.

"Yep."

"Are you messing with me or something."

"Scout's honor, Huntress.Someone broke into the zoo and the guards were murdered. I still don't have a word about what they stole..."

"Dalmatians for a coat?"

"I'm serious.You want in or out?"

::Huntress:: Oracle's voice came through her communication device.

"What?" Huntress asked.

"I said..."

"Not you Reese... Oracle, what is it?"

"Really, why these names?"

"Reese!"

"Sorry, I'll... wait."

::Huntress, go with him.I'm getting the information on the zoo breaking and I want you there.::

"Why would someone mob the zoo?"

::This is New Gotham, Huntress, I can name you at least five criminals in the city's history who would have wanted something from the zoo.::

"Your bad guys left town."

::I still want you to check this out.I'm not getting information on how the guards where killed, there might be something there.::

"Fine.Huntress out.Detective," she addressed Reese this time "My associate feels I should tag along."

"Great.Car or rooftops?"

"You wouldn't be able to follow me through the rooftops." Helena smiled as she entered the car while Reese held the door for her.The drive to the zoo was about twenty minutes long, she was very silent, which was making Reese really nervous.He tried some small talk while they were in the car.

"So... what did you do during your night off?" 

She looked at him, trying to figure out what he was up to.

"Mostly break stuff," she answered, and was proud with herself that she wasn't technically lying.

::Good one.::

"You know, this thing really needs an 'off' switch!" she commented.

"What?" Reese asked

"Oh... it's nothing, I was talking to..."

"The Voice.Got it.Okay Huntress... so you broke stuff."

"Yep."

"Yours?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"It was a tough day, I needed to express my anger.That's as much information as you're getting on the subject Detective."

"Okay... then... you break your stuff, you need to buy new stuff... you afford it with...?"

"Money."

"So you've got money!"

"Maybe."

"You have an actual paying job or you just make a living on your vigilante gig?"

"All I'm saying is I have a job."

"As...?"

"Someone who gets a check.Done, Reese." She had to smile while they played this little game.He was still desperately trying to get information about her, but he was going about it in a funnier way at least.This way, she could actually share some things with him without blowing up her cover.

"Okay... I'm guessing if you don't want to tell me your real name, you're not going to be willing to discuss your family, right?"

"I don't have any," she answered almost bitterly.

"Sorry..." Reese was afraid he had asked a wrong question.

"Not your fault and... apparently, I'm not as alone as I tend to think." This she added mainly because she figured Barbara was still lurking.

::That's a start.:: and she was, of course.

"You know... families are overrated." Reese decided this time he was the one who should do the sharing, maybe that would encourage her to talk."You are not defined by who your parents are, trust me, I should know."

"Granted... still, there's always a shadow."

"I guess... I never had the healthy home environment at home as a kid, and I think I turned out pretty decent," he joked.

"Cocky Detective! But you did.Actually... you're not going to go lurking for my identity with what I'm about to say right?"

"I promise you I won't." He was deadly serious.If he was to never know the name of the woman by his side in order to know the real person, who she truly was, he was ready to live with it.

"I trust you.I actually did have the healthy happy childhood, I just don't have a family anymore."

"Your parents died?"

"My mom.Never knew my dad."

"I see.You know... I wish I had never met my dad, it would've been better for me."

"I hear you."

"We're here." Reese announced when they parked in front of the zoo.He was not really sure what to do now so Huntress was the one who made the call.

"We can't go in together, I'm lurking in the shadows, you're doing the cop thing.Thanks for the lift... and the pep talk." She smiled, and before Reese could answer she was gone.

"I enjoyed it too." He said to no one, as he entered the crime scene.

"Short flight."Dick Grayson commented as he and his father and mentor walked from the airport.

"Fast plane," was all Bruce Wayne commented. He had never been one for words.

"Okay Bruce... Where to now?" Dick asked as he took in the streets of New Gotham he hadn't seen in so long.When he turned, he could see his companion was doing the same thing.Bruce Wayne seemed to be remembering another lifetime, when he was the Dark Knight, the Cape Crusader, the Batman.He had given up pretty much his whole life for this city after his parents had been murdered in front of his eyes.Years on end, he had been the protector of New Gotham, he had taken down foes like the Joker, Two-Face, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, the Penguin... New Gotham once had the most varied gallery of criminals... the Rogues.

Dick himself had trouble keeping control of his feelings at the moment... This was were everything had started... Here he had also been known as Robin.When the Joker had almost killed him, he had been fired by Batman... No, he had been fired by Bruce, his father, because he had been afraid that his son would get hurt, because Bruce hadn't wanted to put him on the line of danger anymore.Of course, they had both gone on with their lives, even when a breach had been opened between them.Dick had moved to Bludhaven , becoming its protector by the name of Nightwing.Batman, on the other hand, had mentored two more Robins:Jason Todd, murdered by the Joker, and Tim Drake.

They had led amazing lives in New Gotham, lives most people can't even begin to imagine or dream of.Still, they had gotten some things and they had lost others, that was the way it had been.And the truth was, Bruce was not the only one about to deal with a ghost of his past.It felt like ages since the last time Dick had seen Barbara Gordon... He had been gone from Gotham almost as long as Bruce, actually longer.When he had left, Barbara and him hadn't been in the best of terms. Dick had been sorry to leave young Helena back then, but she had needed one "mentor", as Barbara had said, not to gravitate between Barbara and Dick.Barbara had known her all her life, it had been the clear choice... Still, Dick had never particularly liked the decisions Barbara had made for her young protege.

Maybe this was the time to fix that as well.

"You drag me here Dick, you should've figured where to first." 

Dick was taken out of his meditations by Bruce's voice.

"I... I don't know where you'd like to go first:The manor, Wayne Enterprises, to see Barbara..."

"The manor will do nicely." Bruce started walking towards a cab.Dick just shook his head, this was going to be tougher than he had thought, but at least they were back in New Gotham.Dick followed Bruce and soon they were in their way to the manor.

"Oracle, do you read me" Huntress asked as she approached the crime scene without being seen.

::Yes, what's going on there, Huntress?::

"The police are checking on the bodies, I don't want to go there yet, way too many.I'll wait until Reese is alone."

::Alright, try and figure out what has been stolen.::

"I think a couple of animals.Let me see." Huntress walked towards the zone close to were the guardians had been killed.Nearby were the lions, she loved the lions! The females were the huntresses, the ones that provided for the cubs, the ones who truly ran the jungle, even if the males thought they were the 'Kings of the Jungle'.

Helena loved coming to the zoo from time to time.She knew all the animals here, she had a great memory.She went through some of the cages and all the animals appeared to be there.She had walked for about ten minutes when she found something:Another body.It was separated from the others, which was really weird.It was another guard, she approached him slowly.She crouched near it so she could get a closer look.

"Oracle, there's another body, it's not with the others."

::Another guardian?::

"Yes.I guess this one found the bad guy while he was stealing and the others are his trace, you know, while he ran away?"

::Okay Huntress, I want you to take some scans so I can identify him and how he was killed.::

No answer, Huntress wasn't paying attention anymore.

::Huntress, do you copy?::

Huntress still ignored Oracle, she felt like the world was slowing down for a moment,she could barely move, but she had too.

::HUNTRESS!!::

She picked up the item she had found by the body and walked slowly to the cage, closer to the victim.That was it, what he had stolen, it was from there.

::Helena, talk to me.Are you alright?::

There were supposed to by five.One by the big rock, one was sleeping, one near the small pond... one, two, three... one, two, three... no more.She adjusted her eyes to make a better scan of the area.No.Only three, two had been taken.

::Helena...::

"I know what he took." Huntress answered almost mechanically.She was still in her own little universe, she was dizzy and mad and scared and a thousand other emotions at the same time.She wanted to sit because she was afraid she would faint, but she couldn't move.

::EARTH TO HUNTRESS!!!I'm asking you what did he take!:: 

Helena could hear the tension in Oracle's voice, it wasn't like Huntress to act this way, so she knew something had to be wrong.

"Two hyenas," she answered while she looked at the item in her hand: A little used explosive device, probably once filled with poisonous gas, which had killed the guardian.The device had a laughing face, painted with white, bright red lips and green hair.She could hear Oracle gasp. Helena just stayed there looking at the laughing face for a couple of minutes.The Joker was back in town.


	5. Surprises

Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS:  All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them.  Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  I'm really sorry it took me so long to post the next bit but my job keeps getting in the way, I'll try to work around that.  Anyway, thanks a lot for all the nice reviews, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter V:  Surprises

_Nightwing made his way through the cold night, the streets seemed empty, which only meant the lurkers were hiding.  Alfred had been right, the moment Barbara Gordon opened her eyes, she was back in The Life.  Right now, there was only one mission they had to accomplish:  Find Helena Kyle.  Barbara had set up a computer system Dick didn't even want to begin to try to understand, technobabble was Barbara's thing.  All he cared about was:  First, a picture of Helena to actually know what she looked like; second, Barbara had been able to locate Helena in this awfully dangerous street of New York, how she had gotten here, he didn't know; and, third and most important, find the girl and bring her home._

_Midway through his walk, he figured that maybe the Nightwing costume wasn't the smartest of his ideas in this particular context, but he couldn't afford to stop his search now, and an older man trying to convince a sixteen-year-old to come with him wasn't a nicer approach anyway.  The truth was, Dick felt safer with the costume on.  He was Nightwing, so Dick wasn't going to get hurt, Dick wasn't going to continue mad, Dick had nothing to do with the situation.  Nightwing had a job to do, at the very least, he was going to make an impression on the girl, that was a good thing, it gave him an edge.  Amazing after all this years of crime-fighting he felt like he needed an edge against a teenager._

_::Nightwing, do you copy?::_

_"Yeah, Babs."_

_::Come on 'Wing! No names, I told you I'm...::_

_"Oracle now, sorry.  Not used to the name yet.  Where do I go now?"_

_::There's an alley in front of you, right?::_

_"Yeah."_

_::Turn to the left, two blocks down.::_

_"Should've taken the Nightbird."_

_::Too late for that now, go.::_

_"Sure boss." They had been looking for Helena for a month now, night after night they had missed her.  He had no idea how she was doing it, but it was like she knew whenever they were coming, and then simply outsmarted him.  He was just hoping he would find her this time.  Three months of living in the streets was too much for a girl that had had the life Helena Kyle had enjoyed so far._

_He was close now, he could hear something... voices? Struggle? He run faster.  He could almost make out the words now:  "Make it easier on yourself darling" "Trust me trashbag, I'm not the one in trouble!" "What you gonna do bitch?" "Kick your sorry ass!" The kid had attitude, but Dick wasn't sure if that would help her at all... And then it happened, he could see her, he recognized Helena, and two guys were crowding on her, they didn't notice him.  Helena grabbed a pipe and smacked one man on the head with it, she moved so fast he almost missed it, the big man fell. She was about to knock down the other when she suddenly screamed and covered her eyes, she fell to the floor, the other man was about to hit her... he never knew what hit him when Nightwing made his move.  He laid it hard on both of them, for attacking this kid, for trying to... they ran for their lives.  Part of him wanted to follow them and continue beating the crap out of them, but he knew he couldn't, he had more important things to do._

_He turned and... the pipe hit him square on the jaw.  He screamed and fell to the floor, listened to her footsteps as she ran away._

_::Nightwing?! Do you copy? You alright?:: Oracle's voice sounded in his head._

_"No I'm not! She attacked me and ran away!"_

_::You finally found her?:: he could hear the emotion in her voice._

_"I'm okay by the way..."_

_::A little girl beat you up? Big deal! GO GET HER!!!::_

_He didn't answer, he already knew he had to get her, he was simply looking for a little sympathy here, but never mind.  He ran.  There was no way Helena was getting away this time, you can't outrun Nightwing, that's a law right there.  He followed her trace, she wasn't hiding it, why would she anyway? He finally stopped at a dead end.  She was standing there, pipe still in hand, facing him, fearless expression on her face.  She DID resemble Bruce.  But something was very different... her eyes! She had cat eyes now! She didn't when he found her at the alley, or in her pictures, even the recent ones.  She was wearing a simple pair of blue-jeans, a t-shirt and a jacket, her long dark hair was flowing freely and she was wearing a hat.  _

_"Why are you following me?" she demanded.  Dick was speechless for a second._

_::Helena!:: Oracle had obviously heard her voice._

_"Not now!"_

_"Sorry?" Helena asked._

_"I wasn't... never mind.  I'm here to help you Helena."_

_"How do you know my name?"_

_"I know a lot about you."_

_"I didn't need your help with those thugs, I don't owe you a thing! So be on your way buddy or you'll get your head smacked again!"_

_"Like the attitude, I really do, but I won't fight you.  I swear I'm here to help you."_

_"I don't need your help." She started to leave, Dick knew he wasn't accomplishing his goal at all, so he opted for another way:  No superhero, just absolute disclosure._

_"I can tell you why your eyes change and why they hurt the way they do." This made her stop.  Gotcha, Dick thought.  "It will stop hurting, trust me, just give it time.  When did the pain started?"_

_"Who are you?" For the first time in their conversation, he could see in her eyes she was afraid._

_"Answer me."_

_"About three months ago."_

_"After Selina died?" She looked shocked, better to say all he could before she got mad "Anger triggers it? No, I think not just anger, it probably happens when you feel threatened.  It's... normal, for a lack of a better word.  You can see better, right?" She nodded.  "When you relax, they'll go back to normal.  Your mother was able to command it, so I'm pretty sure that with some practice..."_

_"What do you know about my mother?!" Now she looked mad.  "Her eyes never changed."_

_"Oh they did Helena, trust me on that one.  A friend of you sent me, Barbara Gordon."_

_"Barbara is dead!"_

_"No she is not Helena."_

_"I went to her place! There was so much blood and... she's dead!"_

_"No she's not, I can prove it." Nightwing took his earpiece and handed it to the girl in front of him.  She regarded it for a few seconds and finally decided to take it and put it in her ear.  She was still staring at him._

_"Hi?" she said timidly._

_::Oh my God! Helena???!!!::_

_"BARBARA???? Are you okay?"_

_::Yes sweetie, I am.  Where are you?::_

_"New York...             Barbara she..." Helena was crying, Dick wanted to hold her, but he knew she wouldn't allow him, not yet anyway "He killed her... he killed mom... and then... I don't..."_

_::It's okay honey, please just come back home, I'll take care of you.::_

_"Why did he?"_

_::Helena, listen to me.  I'm going to answer all your questions but I need you to come back to New Gotham, you'll be okay, I promise you, everything will be okay.  The guy in the funny costume is a friend of mine, his name is Nightwing, he's a good guy, trust him, okay?::_

_"Okay."_

_::See you soon, I love you honey.::_

_"I... I'll see you soon Barbara." She took the earpiece off and handed it back to Nightwing.  He smiled at her, she was regarding him curiously._

_"You won't try to whack me anymore?"_

_"Barbara says your name is Nightwing?" she asked._

_"Actually," Dick answered as he took the mask off, "my name is Dick."_

            "Home sweet home." Dick commented as they entered the manor.  Bruce Wayne was standing by his side, but he didn't answer or even acknowledged his comment.  Okay... Dick thought, never mind then.

"Where is Alfred?" Bruce asked.  Dick smiled, he was a detective, alright.  Still, he wasn't quite sure how to answer that question.  'Alfred is the Clock Tower with Barbara and your daughter' didn't sound that right.

"I don't know, maybe he decided to leave the manor." Bruce gave give a 'Like that would ever happen' look.  Dick had to come up with something better.

"The house is clean and everything is the way I left it.  Alfred is still living here."

"Grocery shopping?" Man, Bruce was right, he hadn't been paying attention to a word Batman had said all that time he had been mentored as Robin! After so many years, that was the best he could do? Luckily, Bruce left him out of the hook and started looking around his home.

"It's amazing... Nothing has changed, as if I had been here yesterday."

"But a lot has happened.  Bruce, I know you're kind of avoiding the subject, but you should really call Babs..."

"The Batcave!"

"What?"

"We haven't gone to the Batcave yet." Okay, now Bruce was simply trying to change the subject.  Had Dick thought for a moment even talking about Barbara was easy on Bruce?

Barbara Gordon, Batgirl, had once been like a sister to him... at least that was the idea.  But Dick had always had a crush on her, she was smart, funny, beautiful and shared his biggest secret:  That he was Robin.  They had spent a lot of time together while growing up, but he had never told her... He had been afraid to cross the line, to change everything, and he had never told her that he was in love with her.

Then, Bruce and him had had their fallout. Bruce had fired him as Robin after the Joker had shot him. And he had got mad, felt betrayed and left for Bludhaven.  The hardest part had been leaving Barbara, but he had done it anyway.  After that, everything had changed.  He realized now how he must have hurt her, she had missed him all those years... they had managed to get something of their old relationship, until their latest fallout.

They had gotten Helena Kyle back home.  She was a nice kid, and after a while, she and Dick had become friends.  But after Selina's death, Helena was the embodiment of a 'trouble child'.  She was ditching school, sleeping who knew where, hanging out with gangs, smoking, drinking and he prayed that this was all she was doing.  Barbara decided she needed guidance to focus her anger, so she should join their illustrious line of crime-fighters.  Enough is to say Dick had whole-heartedly disagreed.  Still, Helena, beyond her attitude, worshiped the ground beneath Barbara, she so obviously looked up to her, she would have done everything and anything Barbara would have asked.  Helena never ever in her life had mentioned any interest in being a superhero, the only thing she had ever mentioned as an interest had been killing the Joker, and the henchman who had killed her mother, with her own bare hands.  When Barbara had talked her into joining their mission, the Huntress had been born.

Then, Dick had decided it was his time to leave.  He would have gone back to Bludhaven right then and there, but Barbara had had one last favor to ask from him.  Batgirl was amazing on the field, but Nightwing was better, at least with the physical stuff.  And under the current conditions... well, there simply was so much that Barbara could teach Helena, and the nature of Huntress' powers made her more of an acrobat, and even before... Dick was the man to teach her that, he had grown up in a circus, he was an acrobat himself.  Dick had agreed mainly because he had wanted to make sure his baby sister wouldn't get killed on the field, but had been proud to realize that Helena needed very little coaching, she knew her moves right.

After that, he had left.  Helena and him had parted in good terms, but Barbara and him... that had been a different story, one he hoped he would be able to finally solve... Part of him was always going to be in love with her.

So, to keep trying to convince Bruce to meet with Barbara was not going to be easy at all.  He turned to Bruce and then realized that he had probably had spent a pretty long time thinking about Babs, since Bruce Wayne was long gone.  He couldn't hide a smile, and walked towards the Grandfather's Clock.

            Bruce Wayne was standing in Batman's hideout, which happened to be below his own home, the Batcave.  Like the house, it looked just the way he had left it.  Stuff laid broken on the floor, his Batman uniform, one of them anyway, was shredded in the mess as well.  He walked towards it and took the mask in his hands.  He had blamed everything on the mask, it had all been Batman's fault, Bruce Wayne had been his victim.

He had created Batman after his parents had been murdered, as some sort of avenging angel, a protector to New Gotham and its people.  The rooftops masked in the night had been his kingdom, were he had met the most colorful gallery of foes:  Riddler, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Killer Croc, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, Hugo Strange... Catwoman... the Joker.  Soon he wasn't alone in his crusade:  Dick Grayson had become his ward, Robin, his own son.  And Barbara Gordon had become his Batgirl, not quite a sidekick, not quite an equal, but definitely a member of the family.  With them, there were also others he had cared about:  Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Carolyn Lance, Jean-Paul Valley... the Bat Family.  Batman had actually given him a family once again.  Thanks to Batman he had met the love of his life, a mind-blowing cat-burglar by the name of Catwoman, a.k.a. Selina Kyle.  There had been nothing on this earth that she couldn't steal, including the Dark Night's heart.  For years he had fought it, she was a thief, it was wrong... but in the end, he'd had to give into her, he had fallen in love and that was it.

The last time he had worn the mask, he had thought he had beaten the Joker, his greatest foe, once and for all.  But he had been wrong, the Prince of Clowns had escaped, crippled Barbara and killed Selina.  So, his family, Batman's family, had  been shred to pieces, and he had run away, as far and fast as he could.  But the thing was, being only Bruce Wayne, he had never got a family again. Part of him had been missing, yet he had been way too scared to reclaim it.

Her mask was on the floor as well, Catwoman's.  He missed her.  He had failed her.  He had failed everyone.  He would never see her eyes again, he wouldn't be in the receiving end of her whip again.  He would never make love to her again.  She was gone.  He could do nothing about that.  He would never be able to apologize, either.  But he still had one last chance to make peace with himself:  Barbara Gordon was still alive.  He had bailed on her the minute things had got hard.  He knew Barbara, she would never hold that against him, she would understand his pain, but he was still ashamed.  He had to go to her and ask for her forgiveness, not only because Batman had failed Batgirl, but because Bruce Wayne had failed one of his oldest and dearest friends.

But even if he knew what had to be done, that didn't make it any easier.  What was he going to say anyway? And who was this person, this whole new person Barbara had undoubtedly become? Dick didn't know.  He hadn't said much, but Bruce knew he had left New Gotham almost seven years ago as well, and had never got back.  Strange, he had figured he would hang around Barbara a bit longer, they were so obviously in love... The same way Dick used to say he and Selina were.  If his love story with Selina had become tragic, he didn't want the same for his son.

"Now this is a mess!" Dick had just entered the Batcave "If my room had ever been this awful you would have grounded me until we could replace the Batmobile for the Batstarship."

"That's the worst crack I've ever heard Dick."

"I know.  I'm nervous, cut me some slack here." He heard the younger man's footsteps as he approached him and then waved a piece of paper in front of his eyes.  He took it but didn't read it, just kept staring at Dick.

"When you left, someone had to make sure the town goons wouldn't take over.  Babs did it, took a new identity, worked in a different way, became a mentor herself.  New Gotham is her town now, she's known as Oracle."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"We both know that the main reason you are here is to talk to her so for once in your life, and mine I might add, LET ME FINISH.  She's been waiting for you, Alfred indeed lives here but helps her a lot.  In that paper is her phone number and the address of her place... she sort of lives in her lair..."

"What?"

"Bruce..."

"You don't live at the lair! Wasn't she paying attention...!"

"When you taught us yadda yadda yadda... care to tell me where the Batcave is?"

"BELOW my home."

"Big difference.  You can reprimand Babs when you see her.  For now Bruce, when you're ready, let me know.  I have some things to get out in the open with her as well." With that, Dick Grayson was gone.  He already knew Barbara was keeping everything in order, he had never asked how, but he had heard about it.  He was proud of Batgirl... or Oracle.  Oracle? She had always been a smart kid, but how had she come up with that one? Well, it seemed he was going to get the chance to ask her.  He opened the piece of paper Dick had handed him an a expression of disbelief appeared on his face.

"CLOCK TOWER???!!!" He could hear Dick laughing upstairs.

            "What is wrong?" Barbara could hear Black Canary's voice, but she wasn't paying attention to the words.  She was regretting now not sending Dinah with Helena, she shouldn't be here by herself, this was too much for her to take on her own.

"Helena come home... Helena! Huntress answer me!" To not avail, Barbara knew she was not getting anything from her tonight... She looked at Dinah and Carolyn in front of her, she considered sending Dinah, but she couldn't be there fast enough, and Carolyn probably wouldn't evoke the best response from Helena under the circumstances.  She thought about what she had to do, Helena probably wouldn't like it, but she had to.

"Are you going to say something here Barbara?" Carolyn asked.

"Actually she's not, mom, give her time." Dinah told her mom.  Good kid, Barbara thought, but didn't acknowledge either of them.  Barbara touched a key on her computer and a voice greeted her, she could see Dinah was startled, she obviously recognized it.

::Hello::

"Hello, Detective Reese."

::Who's this?::

"Yeah, answer that one." Dinah joked.

"This is Oracle, Hunt..."

::The Voice? How did you get my cell number?::

"I'm the Oracle, Detective.  I need to ask you a favor, Huntress might be in trouble."

::What?:: She could read the worry in the young detective's voice, and under other circumstances, she would be happy about it ::That's impossible, I just saw her!::

"Look Reese, I don't have time to explain..."

::Do you guys just like saying that?::

"She's by the hyenas cage, please Reese, go get her."

"Hyenas!" Carolyn could now understand what was happening.

::And then?::

"Take her... wherever the hell she wants you to, but please Reese, you have no idea how important this is."

::Okay, I'll go get Huntress.:: and with that, he closed the connection.

"Barbara, speak now!" Carolyn demanded.

"Someone broke into the zoo, the guardians were murdered and two hyenas have been stolen," she answered, closing her eyes.  This was very difficult for her as well.

"Massive murders and stealing hyenas? This can't be happening."

"Okay, I'm out of the generation loop or something, but what is going on? What can't be happening? Barbara? Mom?" Dinah asked.  Barbara finally decided to explain everything to her younger protege, she would need her help as well.

"Back in the old days, the Joker" Barbara could see Dinah stiffen at the mention of the name, she was getting it now, "and Harley Quinn, his loon sidekick, used to have a couple of hyenas as pets.  Also, they were two of the most crazed killers ever, it's in their character to kill everything in sight..."

"Do you know how they were killed?" Carolyn asked.

"Helena didn't say, but..." Oracle scanned in her computer, "They were poisoned... gas."

"Okay, this IS the Joker, Barbara.  Didn't Huntress said something about the devices?"

"Not a word, but it's a pretty safe bet."

"So we are really talking about the Joker here?" Dinah asked, sounding a bit scared.

"That, or Harley." Carolyn answered.  Barbara smiled, Carolyn was one step ahead, as always. It was good to work with her again... That is, if she agreed to help.

"Carolyn," she started "I know you're in retirement but..."

"This is the Joker, Barbara, you need all the help you can get."

"Thanks, old friend."

"Okay, so then," Dinah started, "this is either Harley or Joker..."

"Or both," Barbara said.

"Right.  Against Oracle, Huntress, Black Canary and me, we should be able to pull it off, right?"

Barbara could almost laugh at the young girl's innocence "Actually Dinah, I'm not at the field, Huntress I'm guessing would be more of a problem than a solution, you're inexperienced were the Joker is concerned and Canary is... retired."

"Smart of you not to say old Barbara." Carolyn commented.

"So what, are we doomed then?"

"Not at all Dinah, I'm just saying it won't be easy... not at all.

            "Hello Ha Ha Harley!!!!" was the first thing Joker said as he faced his long time sidekick and girlfriend.

"MISTAH J!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed, over-enthusiastically as always, and launched herself to what she hoped were his expectant arms.  Instead, the clown barely grabbed her by the shoulders and sent her straight to the floor.  Unflappable, Harley stood up and continued jumping up and down around him, clapping her hands.  "I'm so glad you're here Mistah J!!! I knew they couldn't keep you away forever!!!"

"Still took you long enough to figure out how to get me out." The Joker answered as he walked to the small throne in front of him, assuming it was for him, of course.  He patted the hyenas "Bullethead, Sniffer." He greeted them like he already knew them.  "So what's new Harley? Where is he?"

"HE??!! Who he?!" she asked, which granted her a whack on the head.

"Who do you think blondie? Batman!!"

"Oooohhhh... Mistah J, Batman is gone."

"What?!"

"Yeah, he left town soon after you."

"Oh God... Oh God... OOOOHHHHH G-O-D!!!!! NO!!! It can't be true!!!! NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He was on the floor, almost in tears now, Harley was immediately by his side, holding him in her arms and patting his head.  "He can't be gone... Bats gone... then who am I Ha Ha Harley? Who am I? The Joker is Batman's greatest foe... but if he's gone... his foe is... what? There's no point anymore... not without Bats..."

"Oh Mistah J, it's okay."

"How can you say that, stupid bitch? How is it going to be okay? Who's foe am I going to be now?"

"Oh, Harley Quinn already solved that, Mistah J.  There's a woman here..."

"A woman? Is she hot?"

"This woman..." Harley chose to ignore his last comment, "has being getting under my skin for quite sometime.  She's New Gotham's protector now, since Batsy's gone."

"Is she as good as Batsy was?"

"Better."

"Really? Enough to amuse this old clown?"

"I'll say Mistah J!!! Her name, is Huntress..."

            It took him around twenty minutes, but he finally found her.  He was worried after Oracle's call, usually Huntress didn't need any help... at least she acted like she didn't need any.  She was standing in front of one of the cages.  Those were some of the ugliest animals he had ever seen.  She was still standing there, she didn't even turne to greet him, and it came as a shock for him the realization that she might have not felt his presence yet.

"Huntress?" he called to her.  He saw her shoulders stiffen, but didn't turn.  This was getting awkward, he tried again "Huntress, are you okay? Your invisible friend called me..." No reaction to his joke, he was getting out of ideas.  He was now standing so close to her, and her back was still all he got.  He decided to try and do something he hadn't ever done before and might be dangerous under other circumstances... and hopefully for other people.  He grabbed her shoulders and turned her, so they were facing each other.  Had she been crying? Oh my God! She had! Without a word he pulled her to his chest and held her in his arms, it just felt like the right thing to do.  She didn't cry, didn't reciprocate, didn't make a move, but didn't push him away either.  This was one of those times he hated not knowing her name, or anything about her, he hated the fact that he couldn't help more.  Then he noticed for the first time that there was another body on the ground, and that she was holding something in her left hand.

"He's back," she finally whispered.  He pushed her slowly, his hands still on her shoulders. Her eyes were still locked on the ground, he reached for her chin, so he could now see her eyes.

"Who is back, Huntress? What happened here?"

"He killed them all, like he..." She couldn't finish her sentence.

"Who?"  He reached for the strange looking device in her hand and took it.  "What is this?" he asked, trying to convey in his voice that she could trust him.

"This is a bomb."

"A bomb? It has an smiling face on it."

"It's his trademark."

"Who's trademark."

"The Joker's," she finally answered, after considering it for a little while.

"The Joker?"

"He was a... remember when you talked to me about this guy... Batman?"

"Yeah."

"Batman fought Joker for years, he was pretty much a terrorist... Batman finally managed to bring him to justice.  Apparently, he has escaped now."

"I though you didn't know anything about this Batman guy."

"I lied."

"Why?"

"Because, Reese... Batman is my father."

Reese was stunned to say the least.  Both about the information he was hearing, and about the fact that Huntress was disclosing so much information to him.  Whatever this was, it was hard on her, really hard.  And if she was telling all of this to him, she was probably scared and needed his help.

"Okay... Oracle... she told me..." he tried not to show how nervous he was, he wanted to be there for her.  Whatever she would like to tell him, he was not going to push it.  "You might need a ride somewhere..." He saw her smile. That was a good thing.

"You are not going to make any more questions?"

"Not right now."

"Thank you."

"It's nothing."

"It is something Reese... it means a lot to me.  About that ride?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't face Oracle, Canary or Dinah right now... maybe my place."

"Are you sure? Even if this Joker is in town to take you down?"

"He isn't.  He doesn't know I exist."

"Alright... then, I guess I'll take you to your home... Wouldn't it be better if you were with Oracle right now?"

"I don't know..."

"You don't have to talk to her if you don't feel like it... just stay with someone who cares about you." He could see she wasn't sure about what to do.  He had never heard about the Joker, but it was obviously a rocky theme with Huntress, so he figured Oracle should keep an eye on her.  With some of the foes these women had, he didn't feel like he was going to be able to protect her all the time, no matter how hard he tried.

"You're right... I should go to the lair."

"Where is it?" he asked, not even bothering to ask why she called it 'lair'.

"The Clock Tower in the city."

"I know it.  Come on Huntress, I'll take you there." Now he was trying not to act surprised at the fact that somebody actually lived at the Clock Tower.

"Reese..."

"Yeah..."

"Helena Kyle." Reese smiled, he had earned it now, and that made him so happy.  He reached for her hand and she took it.  As they made the way to his car, Reese called the cops to take care of the body, but he and Helena took the bomb with them.

            Barbara Gordon was speechless.  That in itself would have shocked most people, the Oracle almost every single time had something to say.  But this was the last thing she would have expected.  Then again, maybe she should have after the new developments in New Gotham.  It's really true, one day alone can change the rest of one's life, and she was facing that day now.

"Booo." An all too familiar voice had said.  She was for once in her life happy to be sitting in her chair.  Had she been standing, chances are she would be on the floor now, her hands were already shaking and she was sweating.  She had hoped for this day, now she realized she should have feared it.

"I... I didn't... I..."

"Gee Babs, you used to be a lot more articulate in the old days." Dick Grayson made his way out of the elevator, the man by his side followed him but he hadn't said a word yet.

"Oh... Dick it's so good to see you..." she finally managed to say as Dick reached for her and took her in a warm embrace, warmer that she had figured it would be after the way they had parted.

"Same here Babs... you look great!"

"Thanks." She smiled as they separated.  Now she finally took into the sight of the other man.  He was older, a lot older than she remembered him.  Older than a man his age should be, but she could understand why.  He was looking her straight in the eye, the way he always used to do back when they ruled the night.  But probably for the first time ever, his stare didn't intimidate her.  If anything, she felt sorry for him, for she could see so much pain in his eyes.  She didn't miss the way this pain increased when he looked at the chair she was now sitting in.  He looked at her eyes again and finally walked the distance.  There's no rushing Batman.

"Hello, Barbara."

"Hello, Bruce." She decided to solve his dilemma for him, and took his hand in hers, he looked at their joined hands and smiled, then finally they embraced.

"I'm so sorry," she heard him whisper.

"Don't.  It's not your fault."

"It is."

"No.  I'm okay Bruce, I'm so glad to see you again." They finally separated but Barbara wouldn't let go of his hand.  She figured he was in more need of the contact than she was.

"I'm glad too... Funny, I didn't thought I would be... but I'm glad to be here." He smiled.  That was good, he was healing.  Then Barbara noticed Dick staring at her, the warm was pretty much gone now.  She could read his eyes, she was always able to do that.  He was wondering when she would tell him.  As Bruce smiled at her, she realized she was close to shattering this image, their reunion.  There was no way to predict how he would react, but there was no way to run.  He was here, he deserved the whole truth she had hidden from him.

"Oh God... Bruce? Dick?" Barbara registered Carolyn's voice behind her.  That was a welcomed interruption.  She watched as Carolyn and Dinah entered the room.  Carolyn embraced Dick and then faced Bruce, they didn't have an easy relationship either, but they were always friends down in the end, and it didn't took them long enough to share their own embrace.  Then she just sat there smiling while Carolyn introduced Dinah to two of the greatest heroes to ever grace the world.  When Bruce made a passing comment about how he couldn't believe one of them actually had a kid, for pairs of knowing eyes found their way to the floor.  As Carolyn, Bruce and Dick caught up, Dinah approached her mentor.

"So this is...?" she started.

"Yes."

"Did you...?"

"No."

"When are...?"

"Don't know."

"Okay."

A noise interrupted any other attempt to question from Dinah's part, a noise the others didn't recognize, probably didn't even hear.  But Barbara and Dinah had lived in the Clocktower long enough to know what it was:  The elevator.  Alfred was out shopping and he was a routine man, still had two hours to go.  There was only one other person who could be coming to the lair.

"Well that solves the when." Dinah commented, as they heard the elevator stopping.  Barbara could do nothing but prepare herself for the inevitable.


	6. Revelations

Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS:  All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them.  Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  This is a bit longer than I meant, but I hope you guys like it anyway.  I'll post the next part as soon as it's ready.

Chapter  VI:  Revelations

            _"Why are we here?" Helena Kyle asked.  Barbara and Dick had taken her to some old mansion.  She had been living with them for about a week now.  It had shocked her to see Barbara Gordon in a wheelchair for the first time.  She remember when she was a kid and Barbara came into town, that is, whichever town she and her mother were living at the time, they used to move around a lot before setting roots in New Gotham.  Barbara would take Helena out for a whole day.  Barbara stayed more time and hanged out with she and Selina, but that was *their* day.  Barbara was, as far as Helena remembered, the only person her mother would trust with her daughter.  Sometimes they went to the beach, or spent a whole day at the forest, hiking, whatever they wished.  Barbara always seemed so energetic... and now she was paralyzed._

_Dick was a lot of fun.  She wasn't ready to tell him yet, she had known the guy for only a week, but he was cool.  He was poking fun at Barbara all the time, he called her Babs... What kind of nickname was Babs anyway? And he had this awful habit of calling her kiddo, did she look like a kiddo? She was sixteen years old!_

_Barbara was staying at the most amazing place ever, the Clock Tower, but she never told Helena why.  She slept on Barbara's couch, she got away better than Dick, he had the floor and a sleeping bag.  Today, Dick had woken her with a nice pillow on the face.  He told her to get ready, they were going on a road trip._

_And they ended up in front of an old mansion on the skirts of the city.  The place was creepy, like a set for some Dracula movie, and both Barbara and Dick seemed edgy._

_"Well," Barbara had started to answer her question, "We wanted to show you something."_

_"What?" she asked._

_"Just get out of the car and tag along," Dick said as he removed himself from the driver's seat._

_"What, we're going into the manor?"_

_"Yep." Dick answered._

_"Isn't that like breaking and entering?"_

_"Only if we break a window kiddo."_

_"Actually Helena," Barbara told her as they made their way to the door, "We're expected." As fn on cue, the big front door opened to reveal an old man, neatly dressed and with a pair of small glasses.  He looked like he was a statue, but Helena didn't miss his small gasp when he saw her._

_"Hello Alfred," Barbara greeted and Dick smiled at him and waved his hand._

_"Miss Barbara, Master Dick," the old man named Alfred answered.  Helena couldn't suppress a giggle.  'Master'? Someone actually called Dick Grayson 'Master'? That brought Alfred's attention back to her.  "Oh, you must be Miss Helena."_

_"Actually simply Helena will do."_

_"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Helena." He answered ignoring her remark completely._

_"Same here," she answered, not sure about what to say.  Barbara smiled at her predicament and took her hand._

_"Let's go inside, I want to show you something." Helena was speechless looking at the house's insides.  It was an amazing place, everything was neatly cleaned and looked more expensive than everything she owned put together._

_"God, the guy living here is loaded!" she commented._

_"Actually Hel," she heard Dick, "He's not home."_

_"Then what are we doing here? Why are you guys so mysterious all of a sudden?" Barbara and Dick looked at each other and then at Alfred, Helena was getting sick of it all, what were they keeping from her now?_

_"You're right kiddo," Dick stepped towards her, deciding neither Alfred nor Barbara were going to speak first. "Let's get to the point, follow me."_

_"Dick maybe..."_

_"Babs, there's a reason we brought her here, right? Let's tell her the whole truth for once and for all!"_

_"What do you mean?" Helena asked._

_"You're right Dick, but maybe this isn't the way." Barbara ignored Helena as well._

_"It's the only way I know Babs." And with that Dick started walking, Helena shot one last look at Barbara and then rushed to keep up with Dick.  She could hear Barbara and Alfred behind her.  They stopped in front of a huge clock, Dick took a deep breath and turned to her._

_"Remember when we first met Hel?" he asked._

_"Sure, at the alley."_

_"I told you I knew why your eyes changed and that your mom's were the same way."_

_"I know."_

_"I never told you the whole thing."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"He means," Barbara interjected, "It's not just some random thing or some special magic power Helena.  Selina, your mom, was what we call a metahuman."_

_"Metahuman?"_

_"It's a person whose brain has developed more than the average human, therefore granting this person special abilities others don't have."_

_"Are you for real?"_

_"Think about Helena, your eyes change to look like those of cats.  So did your mom's.  Another thing you inherited from her was your gymnastic abilities, she could pull of amazing things in her days.  That was her power, as well as a great empathy with animals... felines to be precise."_

_"Okay, I give you the eye thing is weird but you're saying mom was some kind of weirdo because she liked catsand was a great gymnastic? And  that so am I?"_

_"I know it's hard to believe Helena," Dick started, "But it's true.  Back then, your mother called herself Catwoman."_

_"Catwoman?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Like you said your name is Nightwing?"_

_"More or less.  Long before you we born, your mom lived here in New Gotham, as well as other... criminals?"_

_"OTHER CRIMINALS??? Are you saying... what the...!!"_

_"Selina was a thief.  She wasn't a murdered, that was against her code, she was a thief... a great one actually, but she was never a bad person..."_

_"GO TO HELL!!!" Helena screamed as she rushed to the door.  This guy she had just met a week ago was saying her mother had been a criminal? Her mother had never done a bad thing in all the time she had known her! All her life.  Even if they got along, or he had helped her out, he had no right to insult her mother's memory! She was about to reach the door when a couple of strong arms lifted her._

_"Not so fast kiddo!"_

_"LET GO OF ME!!!!!!!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!!"_

_"Helena!!" Barbara's voice was enough to made her stop.  She stopped fighting Dick, and he let go. She turned to face Barbara._

_"Selina was a thief known as Catwoman.  She wasn't a regular criminal, sometimes she helped us out, sometimes she didn't.  In a sense, she wasn't aligned with either side.  Understand this: We're not making up stories, this is your mother's past.  And she retired, completely when you came along, because she wanted a better life for you." Helena was speechless, she just continued to stare at Barbara so the other woman went on.  "Selina was the kind of person that needed the adrenaline, the rush of doing something bad even.  You know the part she enjoyed the most? She knew she could get away with it, she was the best ever."_

_"So my mom was a great thief?"_

_"I know this isn't like a compliment either but I want you to understand there's a reason we're telling you this.  Also, we don't think she was a bad person, you know we had a long friendship, and so did Dick." Helena was starting to relax, she still couldn't quite make sense of the idea of her mother being a thief... Catwoman? But she wasn't mad anymore.  She turned to Dick._

_"Then how come we never met before? If you were a friend of my mom?"_

_"Because I had no idea were she was, like I had no idea you existed."_

_"Why?" silence again.  Helena knew this wasn't all they wanted to say, from their faces, she could tell this wasn't even the hard part._

_"Just follow me, okay?" Dick went back to the big clock, all four of them were facing it._

_"What now?" she asked.  Dick just smiled and pushed the clock, revealing a dark long hallway.  Helena's eyes grew bigger and popped her head into the hallway._

_"Pretty cool, eh?" she heard Dick's voice behind her._

_"Where does this lead to?" she asked._

_"Find out." That was all the encouragement she needed. After walking through the hallway and down some stairs she was facing the most amazing place ever.  It was a huge cave with a laboratory, a lot of books, weapons and a real big mess.  Apparently there had  once been a struggle in this place.  She started walking around, she could see a huge black car in a corner.  There were tones of weird stuff, they appeared to be trophies... what was this place?_

_"Welcome to the Batcave." Dick said._

_"The Batcave?"_

_"Years ago Helena," Barbara started, "When your mother was Catwoman," Helena felt a shudder down her spine, "There were a lot of criminals in this town... the most amazing criminals you can imagine."_

_"Metahumans?" she asked._

_"Some of them... most of them.  But they had the most unique approach to crimes... they had motifs.  For example, Catwoman usually picked targets that were cat-oriented."_

_"Why?"_

_"Well... with your mother... just because she liked cat-stuff... and that way she knew he would find her... let's just say for your mother, it was part of the fun.  For the rest of them... well they were insane."_

_"Okay... so, let me get this straight:  Nightwing is some sort of vigilante, I got that... you too Barbara? And to face crazy people?"_

_"I... used to be a vigilante, I called myself Batgirl."_

_"Batgirl?"_

_"Let's move on, shall we?"_

_"Alright, 'Batgirl'."_

_"And these crazy villains... most of them were murderers, they were very dangerous.  But back them, not Dick neither I were the big heroes... we were part of the team, but our leader was called the Batman."_

_"Was he your boyfriend?"_

_"Ha!" Dick couldn't help it._

_"Of course not! He was our mentor, Helena, a wonderful man, amazing crime-fighter, a genius in every aspect of the word..."_

_"Was he a metahuman? Were you?"_

_"No and no, we are simple humans.  But we fought these criminals time after time."_

_"You fought my mom?"_

_"Yes... but it was mostly Batman who dealt with her... Batman was Bruce Wayne, he's the owner of this mansion.  Batman and Catwoman fought for a long time but as I told you, she was never a murderer and sometimes she actually helped us out, she was plainly magnificent in the field.  So... they fell in love."_

_"Mom and Batman?" Helena was starting to get afraid, about where this story might lead._

_"Yes.  After a time, Bruce and Selina, their public images, started dating... they loved each other so much Helena, you have no idea.  But then... your mom left town."_

_"And I was born." Helena's voice was practically a whisper, she was shaking and as she voiced the question she already knew the answer to, she could feel hot teas down her cheeks "Batman... Bruce Wayne... he's my father, isn't he?"_

_"Yes sweetie."_

_"Where is he? WHERE WAS HE? ALL MY LIFE!!! WHERE THE HELL IS HE?" she couldn't help the anger she didn't even realize she was pinning up.  This was the man, this was the father she had never met, the father who hadn't showed up when her mother had died... Where was he? Why wasn't he by her side now?_

_"Helena, he never knew about you, your mom didn't want him to find out she was pregnant, that's why she left town, that's why you guys moved around so much.  The day you were born Helena, Selina took an oath, never to steal again, not to don the costume anymore.  She loved you so very much, she wanted you to have a normal life, not to have to bear the cross of being Batman and Catwoman's child."_

_"Why didn't she tell him?"_

_"This was the mission of his life.  Trust me Helena, had he known, he would have been your father, he would have taken care of you... But he wouldn't have given up Batman, that was his duty, it mean everything to him.  Your mom was afraid that would put you at risk."_

_"Okay, I'm all grown up now and mom died, where is he?"_

_"He... he left."_

_"WHAT?!"_

_"Helena, you have to understand... he's heartbroken. Selina was the love of his life, I was his protégé, she died and I'm in this chair... he blames himself."_

_"Why would he?" Helena asked through greeted teeth, she could see Barbara was getting increasingly nervous._

_"Batman's greatest foe was called the Joker.  He was a psychotic murderer at his best.  That night... we had the final showdown with him, Batman and I.  We got to him, there was a fire, Batman saved his life and then we turned him over to the police.  He escaped, for a few hours only... but he..." Barbara was crying now as well, she couldn't see Dick's face, "He came after me... and sent a henchman to..."_

_"Stab my man.  He's right, IT IS his fault!"_

_"Helena..."_

_"No! My mother retired because of me, because she loved me, something you all agree he wouldn't have done by the way... then... his enemy, he had her killed, because of Batman, not Catwoman, not Selina Kyle... but BATMAN.  And then he's gone! That's it Barbara? THAT'S IT?! He killed my mom and he doesn't pay for it?"_

_"He's in reclusion now..."_

_"I'm speaking of a knife in his chest! What he did to her!"_

_"That's not the way..."_

_"Then what?! Go away because he's 'broken hearted'? What about me? I'm suffering too, but I want revenge... hell, I deserve it! She was all I had, I loved her so much... If he had loved her, he would have killed this Joker... the reason she is dead is that he wanted to play hero and saved this murderer's life! He killed her!"_

_"No he didn't Helena! He couldn't let him die, and he couldn't kill him, otherwise, he would have become like him."_

_"So what? He does, big deal."_

_"Helena, you have to understand... this is your father..."_

_"NO!!! He's not my father! He didn't raise me, mom did.  He was never there for me... He could be now, but he isn't, is he? No, he ran away! He left town, that's how much he cared about my mom... about me... it doesn't matter anyway... I never needed him while growing up, I was fine, I will go on.  I don't need him."_

_"That's not true Helena." Dick said "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but Bruce would have been a good father to you."_

_"What the hell do you know?"_

_"He's my father too... He adopted me when I was a little kid."_

_"Congratulations, he's all yours.  I don't want anything to do with him... his life, his name, his fucking Batcave... I don't want a thing.  I'll be okay without him, as I have always been."_

_"This is your home Helena..." Barbara started, "You ARE Bruce Wayne's heir."_

_"No.  Bruce Wayne is a coward.  If he wasn't man enough to kill that bastard, trust me, I will do it.  Never again bring me to this place Barbara, this isn't my home and will never  be." With that Helena ran away, she didn't wait for their answer, she didn't need it, all she wanted was time to be alone and digest all she had learned that day.  And what hurt her the most was to know that her father had deserted her, she would never meet him, she was alone, all because of him._

She had been so distracted in the lift.  She couldn't think straight... The Joker back in town. He was responsible for her mother's dead.  She was actually glad that Reese was standing beside her. Helena hadn't discussed about showing him around the lair with Barbara yet, but she felt safe with him around.

That is, until the elevator's door opened up to show a couple of visitors.

If meeting again Black Canary had been a shock, this was simply out of this world.

The first thing she saw was Dick Grayson.  She was so happy to see him, specially with all that was going on. Helena wanted nothing more than to feel her big brother's arms protecting her and making sure all her demon's were slain.  There was another man by his side, and Dick, Dinah, Barbara, and Carolyn were suspiciously quiet.

Helena recognized him at once.  Sadly, she had already stepped out of the elevator and Reese was blocking her way.  This couldn't be happening, not now, not now, not now...

"Hel!" she heard Dick's voice and felt his arms around her like she had wished moments ago, only this time she couldn't shake away the cold feeling from her body. She just look at 'him'.  He was so old... More so than in his picture... She had seen a picture of him once, never talked about it with anyone, but her first reaction had been surprise:  She didn't look like her mom at all, she had always guessed she resembled her father, and that picture... and the man staring back at her, proved it.

"Hi... hi Dick..."

"Bruce... there's someone you should meet." Helena could hear Barbara's voice like a distant echo.  She wished she could run away, hide, do something, but her body was limp, she wasn't sure she was breathing anymore.  Standing in front of her was her father.

"This is my protege, Huntress..." Barbara continued.  Now Bruce Wayne was looking at her, strangely as well... he couldn't know, could he? He couldn't see it on her face? Right?

"REESE!" she suddenly exclaimed.  She had to buy some time and the cop standing by her side was the first thing that crossed her mind.

"What?" she heard him.

"You haven't met..."

"Helena!" Barbara admonished.  That caught Bruce's attention.  The name.  Why? But he was having trouble breathing as well now.  He was looking at her, he was trembling.

"Helena?" he asked.  Helena's heart skipped a beat.  "What's your last name?" he asked.  Barbara was right, he could be kinda scary.  Still, she didn't answer.  Why should she be afraid of him? Why should she feel anything for him at all? She faced him now, feeling her own anger increasing, defiantly.

"Bruce I..." Barbara started.

"Not now!" he practically screamed.  "What's your last name?" he asked again.

"My name is Helena Kyle," she answered, her cold exterior never revealing all the feeling running through her body.

"You are Selina's... you're my..."

"You and I are nothing Batman," she answered through greeted teeth and a clenched jaw.  "And we will never be.  EVER!" And with that she rushed to the elevator again.  Reese got in with her before the door closed.  Everyone was way too stunned to say a thing.

"Out!" was the first thing Bruce said as Helena Kyle and her friend... Reese was his name? were gone.  He was facing Barbara Gordon now, his eyes flashing.  Everyone knew enough to obey his command:  He and Barbara were going to talk alone now.

When they were all gone, he finally started, choking back his anger.

"This is my daughter, isn't she?" Barbara didn't answer.  "I used to joke with Selina, about doing the 'conventional' thing, like moving to a farm, having tons of kids, pets, a big car... all those things.  She used to say we weren't like that, and that she wasn't cut out to be a mother.  I disagreed.  I once mentioned that if I had a son, I would like to name him Sebastian, and if I had a daughter, I would like to name her..."

"Helena."

"Helena." They both said at the same time.

Bruce stared at her for a little more time.  Never in his life had he felt so mad, and specially never toward Barbara Gordon.

"Did she know she was pregnant when she left?" He already knew the answer, but he needed to hear Barbara say it.

"Yes.  She wanted to start over, for her baby's sake."

"OUR baby." He corrected her.  "Start over without me?"

"She loved you."

"I know that."

"Helena never knew about Batman or Catwoman until after Selina died." Bruce couldn't speak at all for about thirty seconds.  He understood the message... hell! He could even understand Selina, she was trying to protect their baby girl... He had a baby girl... No, she was a woman now, all grown up.  And looking at Barbara he already knew the answer to his next question.

"And you knew all along?"

"Yes."

"And you never told me?"

"I promised her..."

"You betrayed me." It wasn't an accusation, he didn't even sound mad, it was barely an statement.  "I had a daughter, you knew about it and never told me.  My daughter... just stood here and told me we were nothing and would never be.  She hates me.  I never knew of her and she hates me because I abandoned her, right? When Selina died... when I bailed on New Gotham... on you all... I bailed on her as well, didn't I? And I never knew."

"Bruce..."

"What is this Huntress business?"

"I told you, she's my protege..."

"Selina ever trained her?"

"No, Selina..."

"Left me, gave up the Life obviously and became a single mother to give that child a normal life and the moment she died you made our daughter, 'Huntress'?"

"It wasn't like that." Barbara whispered.

"Then how was it like Barbara?"

"She was hurt and mad, she was in trouble, she wanted to kill anything in sight, I helped her out and gave her direction... the same way you did with Dick and Jason, your children..."

"One thinks I'm a lousy father and the other one is dead.  You got my daughter into the Life?" he asked, loosing the battle with his temper.

"I had to."

"She knows all about me right?" he asked.

"Dick and I told her everything, about you and Catwoman..."

"Where can I find her?" Bruce asked.  He was slowly forgetting Barbara was in the room as well, all he could think about was his daughter.

"Bruce, I don't think she's going to be..."

"WHERE THE HELL IS MY DAUGHTER, BARBARA!!" He never allowed his emotions to take him over, but this was different.  He was mad, at Selina, Barbara, Dick, himself, hell, he was even mad at Helena.  All he knew was that he had to find his child.

"She lives in an apartment above a bar, the Dark Horse, she's the bartender..."

"My daughter, Bruce Wayne's daughter, is a bartender?"

"She preferred it that way.  But she probably won't go there, too predictable, easy."

"The guy she came in with."

"Detective Reese?"

"Whatever his name is, track him down, get his address."

"Alright." Barbara started wheeling to her computer.  Before she was out of the room, Bruce called to her once again.

"Barbara?" he called.

Silence.

"Bruce, I'm so sorry..." He couldn't see the tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Make no mistake Barbara:  you've watched over her since she was born, I can see you helped out Selina, you took Helena in when she was alone, you care about my daughter... I can never thank you enough for that."

"Bruce..."

"But," he continued, "You hid her from me.  If I had known about her, she wouldn't have been so lonely when she needed her father the most.  I failed to her as a father, and part of that responsibility is on your shoulders.  I can't forget that either."

Barbara just nodded her head and wheeled away.  Bruce just stood there, his mind in turmoil.

            "So, this is my place." Reese said as Helena entered his apartment.  After they had left the Clock Tower, she hadn't said a word.  She had just gotten into his car, so he had assumed he should take her some place other than hers, so he had taken her to his home.  "You can sleep in my room, I'll get the couch, okay?" He took her hand and practically dragged her to his bedroom.

When they had arrived at the Clock Tower, they had met with Oracle and Dinah, that he expected, but there was also Dinah's mother, wasn't she supposed to be dead? But there had been a couple of men that he had never seen before.  The younger one had greeted Helena very fondly, the older man... Helena had called him Batman... Wasn't Batman supposed to be her father? But she hadn't said a word since then, and he wasn't quite sure what to say.  He was about to leave the room when a voice stopped him.

"He's my father." 

He smiled, she was ready to talk now, good.  He sat by her side on his bed.

"I guessed so."

"You know... that... that was the first time we ever met.  Can you believe that? I'm twenty-tree years old and tonight, for the first time, I met my father." 

Reese covered her hand with his, trying to convey some of his strength to her.

"He abandoned you and your mom?"

"No... no, he never knew I existed.  Mom left him when she found out she was pregnant."

"Why?"

"Remember how I told you she gave up completely her criminal life when I was born? He wouldn't have done it, stopped been Batman.  So, mom was afraid of what would happen to me if word got out that Batman had a kid.  She should've stayed, had they known I existed she probably wouldn't be dead now..." Tears were threatening to fall down her cheeks.

"What do you mean Helena?" 

He saw her almost smile, it sounded so right, calling her by her real name.

"The Joker... back when Batman captured him, he went alongside one of his proteges, Batgirl... that be Oracle."

"Your friend Oracle?"

"How many women named Oracle do you know, Reese?" 

He looked down.  Even in this state she was mocking him.  

"They brought him to the police but been the useless excuse for law enforcement they are... no offense intended..."

"Not taken."

"He escaped, just a couple of hours.  He went to Oracle's place, shot her in the spine, that's why she's in a wheelchair today.  And then... then..." The tears were falling now, so Reese put his arm over her shoulders and brought her to his chest.

"Come on Helena... I'm here with you... What happened then?"

"Joker knew that my mom, Selina Kyle, had once been Catwoman, Batman's allegedly greatest love..." The way she said it, Reese guessed she didn't quite believe it.  "So he sent a henchmen to get her... We were walking that night, mom and I... we liked to do that a lot, walk around, talking about everything... she was very tired that night, long day at work... she didn't really want to go but I insisted... so she just gave in, she always did when I wanted something... We were having fun... I was telling her about my boyfriend, Harry Sims, she liked him... we were laughing... then this man came out of nowhere and... and he just... stabbed her.  She was bleeding out, she fell and... he got away... I didn't chase him... I was crying, trying to get her to open her eyes, I begged her... I didn't even get to say good-bye... She had devoted her whole life to me, I loved her so much and I couldn't tell her... and I couldn't say thank you..." Reese could feel her shaking and crying in his arms and he could even feel some tears of his own.

"I'm sure she knew..."

"That's not the point! I failed her! And I'm the reason she's dead..."

"Helena that can't be..."

"But it is Reese! Can't you see it?! The Joker killed her because he wanted to hurt Batman... But mom and Oracle, they hid me, neither my father nor Joker knew about me... Had the Joker known, he would've come for his daughter, not for Oracle and not for my mom! And then... I wanted him dead, I still do... He's the reason I lost everything, the reason I became Huntress... Batman could've killed him, if he had loved my mother the was he says he did, he should have... But he was a hero, he couldn't do that! So, he ran away, he left all of us, the brave Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader, that fucking coward and lousy excuse for a father... and now he's here, the same as Joker... This is my town now! He abandoned Gotham! He can keep running for all that I care, I don't need him!" She was mad now, she broke from Reese's embrace and started pacing. He was at a loss of words, after all she had just confided in him, her whole life... He stood in front of her now, to at least stop the pacing.

"Helena, I can see why you're so mad, but I think... maybe you should sit down with your father and have a conversation with him."

"No! No way! I'm not even stepping in the same room...!"

"Helena! Just answer me this, did your mother love this guy?" That stopped her, which he was glad about.  She looked at him now, she looked calmer than before.

"Yes.  She always said my father was a good man and that she loved him more than she had ever loved any other man... She said I was never a mistake, but a product of a great love.  But that sometimes, no matter how much you love a person, you can't be together."

"See? Your mother thought he was a good guy and it sounds to me like she would have wanted for you two to meet.  Just think about it."

He started to leave the room again, mainly because he couldn't trust himself to be by her side a minute longer.  She looked so sad and vulnerable... and beautiful, she looked so like a person, one he cared about, one he wanted so bad to comfort... he had to leave the room.

"Reese?" 

He stopped, this was so hard.

"Yeah?" he didn't turn.

"I never liked that... what mom said, about love not being able to solve every problem... but after she died, I realized it was true, you're on your own... I thought I was good at it, that could take it... but I can't anymore... I just don't want to be alone... I hate being alone..." 

He turned around and was surprised to see how close she was to him.  He couldn't help it as his hand went up to caress her cheek, she closed her eyes... he could feel her breathing in his open palm.

"You don't have to be alone..." he heard himself whisper, it was out of his control, he knew that much.  Everything between them, ever since the day they had met, had led them to this moment.

"Reese... I'm not used to this... to feeling this way... when you're with me, I'm safe... my life is such a mess, but when you're around..."

"Everything makes sense..." he finished for her, "And when you're not here, I cant' stop thinking about you..." He leaned, slowly, as they both closed their eyes, he brushed her lips with his, he could feel the electricity passing between them.  "Helena..." he whispered as his arms encircled her waist and the kiss became so much deeper.  He could feel her nails scratching his back, even though he was wearing his shirt and then she broke the kiss and started the way down his neck.  He closed his eyes, trying to capture every single moment, every sound and smell and image... He never wanted to forget this night.

"Do you really have to sleep on the couch?" she whispered in his ear and he could hear the smile in her voice.  He just laughed, took her in his arms and laid her on the bed, while he started the struggle to take her leather garments off.

            It was already morning.  Barbara had somehow managed to stop Bruce when she had finally got Reese's address at three in the morning.  She convinced him he could go in search of Helena at a decent hour.  It was six now, Bruce Wayne was taking a shower and then he was going out to look for his daughter.

"Hi Barbara." Dinah came down the stair in her pajamas.

"Shouldn't you be ready for school?" she asked.

"I think I'm going to skip that today."

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, Barbara:  My mom just resurrected, the Joker is back in town, Batman and Robin are..."

"Nightwing.  The name is Nightwing, you don't want to call him Robin, trust me."

"Okay, they're back in town too, not to mention Helena just met with her father and things are going to be crazy all day."

"If I were you I'll be glad to go to school."

"You called in sick, didn't you?" 

Barbara smiled.

"I have to help them sort things out... Bruce and Helena... I need to talk to her."

"So do I! I care a great deal about her, I want to help... Can I please, PLEASE, stay?"

"Okay." She smiled as Dinah hugged her.

"Has Helena contacted you yet?" Dinah asked.

"No.  She needs time, she'll come when she's ready.  Plus, she's not alone, she's with Reese.  He's helping us a lot right now."

"Of course he is! He's all drooling over Helena!"

"Dinah..."

"I'm just saying he likes her, that's all."

"Of course he does, baby sister is hot." His voice again.  Barbara wouldn't admit it to Dinah, but the owner of that voice was one of the reasons she had called in sick to her job.

"Hello Mister Grayson."

"Come on kid, the name is Dick."

"Right, Dick." Dinah smiled uneasily, and Barbara could understand why.  Dick Grayson was a living legend on his own right.

"What gives, Babs, found her yet?"

"No, she'll come on her own... you know her..."

"Right, last thing we want to do is rush her." After Dick's last statement an uncomfortable silence fell upon them.  Barbara and Dick were looking into each other's eyes, Barbara always found them mesmerizing.

"Okay... I'm going now... bye." Dihah excused herself, Barbara barely acknowledged her voice.  She was the one who finally broke the spell that had fallen between them.

"So Dick..."

"So Babs..."

"Aren't I a tad old for that silly nickname?"

"Not at all." He flashed her a disarmingly smile.

"I guess you were right."

"What do you mean?"

"I should have told Bruce before.  Now everything is a mess because of me."

"You're being to hard on yourself, Babs."

"You were harder on me back then."

"I know... and I'm sorry.  Most things I said... I was just mad."

"I'm sorry too, Dick.  I've missed you," she finally admitted, to both of them.

"Of course you did, I'm loveable!" He smiled again, she pretended to punch him.

"Do you have to be so annoying all the time?"

"I'm kidding, Babs... I missed you too... so much.  But I was too proud to come back, and after all the fights..."

"I knew back then as I know right now you always had Helena's best interest at heart."

"So did you.  But I had no place telling you what was right and what was wrong... you know her better, she loves you so much..."

"Right."

"Come on, Babs."

"I was wrong.  Dick, I pushed too far too soon.  Maybe with a little more time she would have become a more equilibrated person.  But she has so many issues, and some of them are my fault.  I turned her into Huntress, and maybe she wasn't strong enough to bear it.  Maybe all she ever was supposed to be was Helena Kyle."

"Like that was possible.  You know what that kid is capable of.  If we hadn't taught her what to do with all her energy, the pain, the hurt... she would probably not even be alive now."

"Still Dick... there must have been another way..."

"No Barbara.  You did what you had to do to help her recover, I was too blind to see that.  She's who she is because of you."

"Right now, Dick, I don't think she's that grateful about that."

"We all have good times and then we also have hard times, Barbara.  Today, Helena has it tough, tomorrow... who knows! You took her in, you mentored her and most importantly, you loved her as if she was your own daughter. Don't try to deny it, I know you:  She's your world, your little girl, and even if she's inherited her father's complete and absolute inability to express the most basic human emotions, she loves you too.  You're her second mom.  Don't ever regret the life you forged for her, it's the only one she's got.  You did your best, we all know it."

"Thanks, Dick."

"And now... I want to apologize again."

"You don't have to..."

"Yeah, I do.  The thing is, you were going through a bad time and if I had been a better... friend..." The word stung Barbara "I wouldn't have bailed on you.  The thing is, I'm damn good at running away... like all those years ago, when I first went to Bludhaven... I ran from Bruce like a spoiled little boy.  At some point, Babs, I have to start behaving like a man."

"You're a man, Dick... the most wonderful and amazing man I have ever met." She smiled at him.  There was something more, something he was not saying, she could see it, she knew Dick Grayson like she knew her right hand.  She stared at him and took his hand in hers, encouraging him to talk further.  He smiled, he had a great smile.  His free hand was now moving, he stroke her cheek... he had done it before, but this time, she even forgot to breath.  He started to lean down to her as her eyes started to close when a very loud noise scared them.

"Delphi Alert!!" Barbara almost jumped out of her skin, but the moment was now broken.

"Yeah! Right! Delphi Alert! Of course! What the hell is the Delphi Alert, again?" Barbara smiled, Dick Grayson caught off guard was one of her favorite things in the world, but she was kind of stunned herself.

"The Delphi Alert is a computer system that alerts us when crimes happen... oh man!"

"What?"

"With all the commotion yesterday, we didn't tell you... call Bruce now!"

"What didn't you...?"

"Dick!"

"Okay Babs, I'm going."

Barbara continued working on her computer, how could they forget? There were so many important things at the same time.  She could hear Dinah and Carolyn at her side, soon asking questions, but she was ignoring them.  Bruce and Dick joined them.

"What's going on, Barbara?" Bruce asked.

"You're not going to like this, boss," she said, smiling as she realized how much she was sounding to Batgirl talking to Batman in her younger years.

"What?" Dinah interjected.

"Something I should have told you before.  Bruce, Dick, the Joker is back in town."

"WHAT?!" Dick exclaimed.  Barbara could see Bruce's face growing pale, as if he were seeing a ghost.

"He just appeared... we're guessing is either him or Harley Quinn, or both, I'm inclined to think this is Joker himself.  Huntress and Detective Reese investigated a breaking at the zoo, they stole two hyenas and killed all the guards.  Right now, there are crimes going on like crazy."

"What kind of crimes?" asked Carolyn.

"That's not so much the point as the..."

"Pattern." Bruce completed her sentence.

"Exactly.  Look at this." Barbara displayed a map of New Gotham in her computer screen, marking the places were crimes were happening.  The marks were forming a smiling face.  "There."

"A smiley face? He's forming a smiley face?" Dinah asked.

"That's his theme, his motif.  That's his way of letting us know it's him."

"Okay." Barbara could see Dinah blush, she was so scared of Bruce! Poor kid.

"The next crime," Barbara continued, "It's going to happen somewhere in DeMott and Berkley... there we have a jewelry store, a pet shop and a bank."

"That's three locations.  I don't have a costume here," Carolyn said.

"Me neither," said Bruce as well.

"Okay, then we have Dinah and Dick for this.  Plus, it's good to have a back up here.  I'm calling Huntress now."

"You're sending Helena to meet with Joker?" Bruce asked, indignation in his voice.

"I'm informing Huntress of the situation, I hope she'll want to go, but it's her decision, I won't force her hand, but I'm not lying to her.  Huntress? Answer me Huntress," she called before Bruce interrupted her again.  After about thirty seconds she finally answered.

::I'm here Oracle.::

"Huntress, you okay?"

::Yeah, whatever, what's going on?::

"The Joker is attacking the city.  I won't force you..."

::Where?:: 

"DeMott and Berkeley, you go to the bank.  'Wing will go to the jewelry store and Dinah to the pet shop."

::I'll be there...:: Barbara could hear a distant discussion, Helena was trying to hide the voices from the come device, but Barbara could make up some words, like:  crazy... no... whether you want it... annoying... fine! After that, Helena talked to her again.  ::Correct that, apparently WE, Reese and I, will be there.::

"Good, Huntress.  Take care." Barbara smiled, she was going to be okay.  "Dick, Dinah... go." With that, the two heroes were gone.

            He was about to cry.  He was back.  He was really back.  Since the day he had left, Alfred's worst nightmare had been not living long enough to see his beloved Master Bruce again.  The man he loved like a son was now standing on the outsides of the Clock Tower, looking down at his city.

"It's really a different city now, isn't it Master Bruce?" he asked.  He could see he had surprised Bruce. Maybe the sneakiness was finally brushing on him.  Bruce turned to him and smiled.

"Alfred... it's good to see you again old friend." Bruce extended his hand and Alfred took it gladly.

"It's also a pleasure to see you're back with us, Master Bruce."

"Yeah... some disagree."

"I see you've met Miss Helena." Alfred could see the conflict on Bruce's face, he felt so sorry for him, for the cards he had been dealt.

"Tell me about her." Bruce finally said.  "I have this daughter, and all I know is that she's beautiful and a vigilante."

"Miss Helena is a lot like you actually, Master Bruce, if I may say so.  She's strong, bold, driven, very smart and at the field... well, there she resembles Miss Selina the most."

"She's half metahuman, she knows that?"

"Yes, she does.  She likes it, she's proud of both her sides.  She loved Miss Selina very much, from what I get, she was a wonderful mother."

"I always knew she would be." Bruce smiled.

"She's also very angry, she sometimes has problems feeling comfortable in her own skin, she's very wild, she's a good girl and has her heart in the right place."

"How old is she? Where was she born? Is she in love? I know nothing about her Alfred!"

"She turned twenty-tree a few days ago, she was born in Paris, and if she's not in love, she's falling now." Alfred couldn't help his own smile.

"That Detective?"

"Detective Reese.  He's a good man, an honest cop and quite fond of Miss Helena, I think."

"I don't know what to do, Alfred... Everything in my being tells me this girl is my child, she's my daughter, she's all I have.  I don't know her but I love her, you know? I want to protect her, to make her happy, but she dresses up every night and puts her life in danger!" Alfred did all he could not to smile.  He understood Bruce's fears so well, he had once been the worried parent, and Bruce the kid putting his life in danger every night.  But that was the kind of thing Bruce would never realize on his own.

"You are her father, Master Bruce, even if at the moment she's not willing to see this.  She needs you.  All you can do is what all parents do:  You stay by her side and you catch her when she's falling down and help her stand tall again.  Right now, Miss Helena is mad and scared, you'll have to give her time.  I know Miss Helena, sooner or later, she will come to you, if only to fight, but she'll come around."

"She's going to face the Joker now.  That bastard had Selina killed and now... now he's going to aim at my daughter, my kid! That girl is the one thing I have in my live right now that I care about, and what am I supposed to do? Hope she's good enough not to get killed? This shouldn't be happening, I don't want this life for her."

"She's a grown woman Master Bruce, she makes her own decisions, this is the path she chose.  Also, she IS good enough not to get killed, every bit as good as you were and Miss Selina were, and then some." He could see a proud smile on the younger man's face.  "And finally," he handed him a bag, "you're still her father, it's your duty to take care of your children.  Even if they don't want you to." Bruce opened the box and smiled.  He took the Batman mask in his hands.  Alfred had brought another Batman uniform from the manor.

"I sure missed you, Alfred," Bruce said as he ran to get changed.

"I missed you too, Master Bruce, I missed you too."


	7. Encounters

Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS:  All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them.  Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  First I want to apologize cause it took me so long to post this part.  Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter tomorrow.  But, since I realize you're waiting for my updates and I don't want to you guys to believe I'm just dragging this thing, I have to warn you, next week I can't update until, in the best case, Sunday.  The reason is I'm an archaeologist and I have to be all week long at the site and we don't have our computers at the field.  When I get back home, I'll update.  Now, enjoy this part!

Chapter VII:  Encounters

            _It was 10:00 p.m.  Where was she? She should be home already, she needed to talk to her NOW!! This was her whole world in crisis.  She finally heard keys opening the door._

_"Finally!" Helena exclaimed when her mother made her entrance.  Selina Kyle just smiled._

_"Hello to you too, love.  I had a great day, thank you very much.  What about you darling? How was your day?" Selina asked with a smile as she kicked her shoes away and threw herself on the couch._

_"I've being waiting for you, mom!" Helena cried out._

_"I told you I was coming in late tonight, what are you so worked  up about?" she asked, looking straight to Helena's eyes._

_"I know mom! Sorry!" Helena threw herself over the couch as well, by her mother's side._

_"Never mind, what's up? Why this sudden urgency for my presence? I see like a dozen chocolate bars here so I'm guessing boy trouble." Selina said as she took one of the bars._

_"Ha ha.  Okay, truth be told it is boy trouble but it's really, really serious boy trouble!"_

_"Okay, shoot."_

_"Harry is dating Samantha!" Helena stared at her mother waiting for a big reaction, but Selina just stared at her with her piercing green eyes, her mouth closed and no reaction evident in her face.  After about three minutes Selina finally spoke._

_"Okay I'm going on a limp here, is this the same Harry you broke up with a month ago?" Helena didn't expect that._

_"Umh... well... yeah, I guess..."_

_"And correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you dating this Todd guy?"_

_"Ye... yes... kinda..."_

_"Alright... I don't get it Helena."_

_"Harry is dating Samantha!!" she said again._

_"I got the actual sentence baby, not why you're writing a soap opera on the subject.  I thought Harry is a childish, arrogant, egotistical, jealous pig."_

_"Well he is!"_

_"So..."_

_"So he is my pig! I don't want him dating Samantha." Selina smiled.  "Are you mocking me? This is serious mom!"_

_"I'm not mocking you Helena, and I know this is very serious for you, but what did you expect? You broke up with the guy and started things with Todd, I'm sorry honey, but this was bound to happen." Helena remained in silence, she knew her mother was right, but she didn't want to admit it to herself, at least not yet._

_"I just..."_

_"Don't want him seeing someone else."_

_"Yeah."_

_"Are you still in love with him?"_

_"I... Todd is great..."_

_"You just answered my question."_

_"I love Harry, mom, but things are just so hard with him... so I figured it was just not worthy if half the time we're fighting and we simply don't agree on anything!"_

_"Is that really what you want? Some guy you to follow you around like a puppy, too afraid to voice his opinion and disagree with you?"_

_"I don't know!!" Helena covered her eyes with her hand.  "See? Nothing can be simple with Harry, everything is always blown out of proportion?"_

_"Baby... come here." Helena willingly went into her mother's arms, she always felt safe when she held her, ever since she was a baby._

_"What do I do, mom?"_

_"I can't tell you that, Helena.  You're fifteen years old, this is your decision."_

_"What will you do?"_

_"That's a question to get the exact same answer! You think I'm dumb or something?"_

_"Come on mom! And opinion here, please?"_

_"Fine.  Personally, I enjoy the differences in character.  And about things being always easy, it just doesn't happen, Helena.  Not in the real world.  Relationships that are to last, those take time and hard work, that's just the way things are.  I know you love Harry very much, but that won't make it easier, if anything, the more you love a person, the more difficult it is."_

_"That can't be right."_

_"Can't it? If you were to find out Todd is seeing someone else right now, would it bother you as much as Harry seeing Samantha?"_

_"No..."_

_"Even the greatest loves can't survive some things.  Staying on a relationship, making it work, it's like gambling.  What you've got to decide is if at some point the bets are so high you don't want to play anymore." Helena could see her mother's expression change, it was somehow more somber.  She knew that sometimes saying things like that were hard for her mother,  and she could guess why. Helena  just wasn't quite sure how to ask.  She decided to take a leap and ask the question she had wanted to ask her for a long time now._

_"Is that what happened with you and my father?" Selina's head snapped to look at her in the eye, very often her mother got nervous.  This was one of those times.  "Mom, things were so hard with my father that you didn't want to bet anymore?" It took some time before Selina spoke again.  Helena knew her mother, she was now thinking about the best way to say whatever she was about to say._

_"Took you a long time to ask." Selina finally said.  Helena smiled, she was stalling._

_"I didn't want to make you sad."_

_"You couldn't do that honey," Helena felt her mother caress her cheek with one hand and grab her hand with the other.  "You've made me happier than I ever thought I could be, you know? I love you very much."_

_"I love you very much, too."_

_"And... your father and I loved each other very much as well." Helena could feel her heart beating hard in her chest.  They were finally having this conversation._

_"What happened?"_

_"It wasn't easy for one thing.  You think Harry and you don't agree on anything? You're amateurs, darling.  But it was fun, interesting... and very real.  Helena... never think your dad was a monster that abandoned you, okay? I took the decision and... for matters I can't really begin to explain to you right now... who we were back then... I made the choice to raise you by myself." A tear threatened to fell down Selina's cheek, Helena took both her mother's hands in hers. Selina smiled at her.  "As much as I loved him, and I did, I had to give you a chance to have a more... conventional life.  What I felt you needed to grow up in a safe, loving environment, I knew he couldn't quite give it to you the way I have tried to.  He would've loved you very much, trust me."_

_"You left him because of me?"_

_"Oh, no honey, no.  Please, don't feel guilty or anything.  It was my choice.  I've never regretted it for one day in my life, because I look at you... you're beautiful, smart, minus the Harry-drama I think you're happy with your life, you're safe, that's what I wanted for you, that was the most important thing in the world, Helena.  If anything, I should apologize to you, because I'm the reason you don't have your dad here."_

_"No, mom." Helena took this moment to throw herself at her mother's arms.  "Don't apologize, I do like my life a lot, and I love you.  I've never needed a father, I have you, that's all that matters." Helena hugged her mother with all the strength she could, to erase Selina's fear that Helena might blame her for something._

_"You wanted my advice?" her mother asked as she pushed her away softly.  "Easy is boring.  You want something really, really bad? You take it, damned the consequences.  You only get one lifetime, you owe it to yourself to be happy with your decisions.  You love Harry, he loves you, for today, that's enough." Helena smiled as her mother stood up and kissed the top of her head.  "I'm taking a shower, then we can finish those chocolate bars and see some old movies or something."_

_"Cool." Helena waited until her mother disappeared in the bathroom, still thinking about what she had learned tonight.  She didn't lie, she never needed a thing besides her mother.  She had taught Helena all she ever knew and she had given her an amazing life.  And her last lesson was an important one.  Helena took the phone and dialed a number she knew all too well.  She waited._

_::Hello?:: came the voice._

_"Harry? This is Helena..."_

She could understand that relationships weren't always easy.  She had learned it with Reese too in a way, when Darkstrike had been around.  'Simple' just wasn't what she wanted.  She was sure of it when Oracle's voice had came through their com link.  Then, she had opened her eyes and found an uncommon source of warmth by her side.  She had at first been surprised to find Reese, specially a very naked Reese, on Reese's bed, and she was out of clothes as well.  It had been nice, more than nice. Helena had wanted to forget about everything else in the world, all her problems, the Joker, Batman... All she had cared about at that brief instant had been the way she had so perfectly fitted in Reese's arms.

But that had been then.  Now, they were in Reese's car, driving to DeMott and Berkeley, were they had to check out the bank, looking for the Joker.

"You know, I could have taken the rooftops.  I would be there already," she stated.

"No you wouldn't."

"Of course I would!"

"You're too full of yourself, aren't you?"

"Cute." She remained in silence.  The Joker, what would she do the moment that bloody clown stood in front of her? She had wanted to tear the life from him for such a long time... she still did.  But would she? Whenever she thought about killing the Joker with her own bare hands... Barbara's face appeared in her mind.  She couldn't do it to her.  She didn't want to disappoint her any further, but she didn't know if she would be able to control her rage on this matter.  She wasn't used to this, being in such a limbo.  When you're a vigilante, the one thing you have to be sure about is your plan, a strategy.  This time, she was going to show up and... who knew what.

"Hey Helena?" she heard Reese's voice, "You okay?"

"Don't know," she answered.  Reese took her hand in one of his.

"It's going to be okay."

"You don't know that, Reese."

"It's got to."

"I'm scared... of myself.  Of what I will do to him if I find him..."

"You want to kill him."

"SO BAD! And... you know, I don't know why this is such an issue to me... I should be above this... Batman wouldn't kill him even after all the crap he did... My mom never ever killed someone, even in her worst days... I just feel the urgent need to destroy him... so much for genetics, eh?"

"Look, Helena, he took a lot from you, you're entitled to be mad.  But when worst comes to worst, you're not a murderer, you'll do the right thing."

"That's it, Reese.  I don't know if I will."

"I promise, I won't let it happen, even if I have to put a bullet in his head first, you won't have to kill him." 

She had to smile at that.

"That's sweet, in a psychotic kind of way."

"Yeah, I have my moments."

"Is... that... supposed to be a sort of boyfriend doing something for his girlfriend thing?" she asked, making a great show of looking at her nails while she said it.

"If we're going there, you might as well call me, Jesse..." 

She laughed again, and this time he joined her.

            Dinah Lance and Nighwing arrived at DeMott and Berkeley.  She was trying not to show how nervous she was, riding with a living legend and about to face the biggest bad guy of them all.  She could do it, she was ready, Oracle thought so, and so did Huntress, even if she had never said so.

"Here we are," Nightwing said.

"Yeah."

"You have your com system in?"

"Of course I do."

"The Joker comes, call me, I'll be there in a beat."

"I know how to do this."

"I'm just saying..."

"That I'm not as good as you are?" She saw Nightwing smile, that made her madder.

"First, you're spending way to much time with Hel, second, you're not, I'm sorry, but I've been doing this longer than you have been alive.  That the day will come when you can kick my ass, I could see it happening, but Dinah, that day it's not today.  You've never taken on Joker, so can you just take the pointers?" 

Dinah was stunned, he said it in such an amicable way, she couldn't even be mad.  And now he was smiling.  Barbara was right, you couldn't win one with Dick Grayson.

"Okay."

"Great.  You see a smiling little device, it's a bomb containing a small gas that will have you either laughing hysterically or poisoned.  Also, they are freaking maniacs, you think they won't kill you because there's a perfectly logical reason why they won't, they'll disagree and kill you anyway.  And in case you get past the trinkets, there's still the matter of those annoying energy blasts Joker can shoot from his hands, that's his meta power.  Eyes wide open, Dinah, this is life and death."

"I know... thank you, Nightwing."

"You're welcome.  Good hunting."

"To you too." Nightwing stepped down of the car and headed to the jewelry store.  Dinah was near the pet shop when she heard Nightwing's voice through the com system.

::And while you're at it, get a mask and a code name, will ya?::

:: Are you done with the pep talk, 'Wing?:: Oracle voice chimed before Dinah could answer.

::For now, Babs.::

"Hey guys," Dinah started "are you done yet? Because I'm kind of in the middle of tracking down a dangerous psychotic murderer here..."

::Just get to the pet shop, Dinah.  Nightwing, you're in position?::

::Yeah, Oracle, and no Joker no Harley.::

::Give them time.  Dinah?::

"Just got in... nothing, maybe they're at the bank."

::Huntress and Reese aren't in position yet... Just look around and stay put.::

"Right." Dinah complied with Oracle's orders and started walking around.  The puppies were barking now, startled by her presence, she tried to soothe them, not to alert anyone of her lurking around.  They were not cooperating, so she had to use her mental powers.

"Now you'll behave." Not a sound.  Good, but it was also creepy.  Nightwing was right, as good as she was, she had never met the Joker.  But she was ready, she had to be, she was a part of the team... the most amazing team ever:  Batman, Oracle, Nightwing, Black Canary, Huntress... they were all way over her head... for now.  She had time to go and show just how good she was, but for now, having these people to learn from and to fight by their side was good enough.

Her heart stopped.

A noise.

Someone was opening the door.

She ran to hide behind some of the cages, she needed to survey the situation before making a move, and she needed the surprise factor on them.  When she finally saw them, it was the damnedest thing:  Joker was a tall man, with green hair, green eyes, intensely red lips and his face and hands were completely white, like chalk.  He was making some cheesy joke and laughing hysterically, talking to a woman dressed as a Harlequin.  She had painted her face to resemble the Joker, her suit was red and black, and her eyes green.  Both of them were holding huge guns and, thankfully, were alone.  The last thing she needed was henchmen.

"Oracle," she whispered, "Joker and Harley Quinn are here."

::Oh my God! Dinah, get out of here!" she heard her mother's voice over the com system.

::Scratch that Dinah!" Oracle's voice finally took control.

"I figured," she continued whispering.

::Okay, keep down, listen to everything they say, 'Wing will be there in a few, just stay put.  No one is at the shop right?::

"Only me."

::Good, then let them go and follow... Oh damn it!::

"What?"

::The owners of the shop are coming, they are going to be slaughtered... Nightwing, you're closer to them, get them out of the line of fire!::

::Acknowledged.:: Dinah heard Nightwing answer.

"Oracle, I think they're leaving since there's nobody here to kill." Dinah waited for Oracle's orders, but nothing came.  She was struggling with the obvious decision, probably the fact that Carolyn was with Oracle was making the choice ever harder.

::Dinah...:: finally came her voice.

"Don't worry Oracle, I understand my duty."

::Be careful.::

"I promise." Joker and Harley were about to leave the shop.  It was now or never, "Hey!!" she called, making both bizarre villains turn, Harley pointing the gun at her, Joker just smiling and looking at her curiously.

"Do I finish her, Mistah J?!" Harley eagerly asked.

"Not just yet... tell me little girl in the inappropriate leather clothes... who the hell are you?"

::Careful, Dinah..."

"I..." she started.  She was frightened to her very bones, but wasn't about to let it show, "I am the Black Canary." Silence.  That was the first think that struck her.  Silence from the com system, silence from the Joker and silence from Harley Quinn.  Well, what was she supposed to say? I'm Dinah Lance, daughter of the actual Black Canary? Yeah, that's scary.  And her mother was retired so she wasn't really about to use the name.  Dick was right, she should have thought of a code name before... but Black Canary simply felt... fitting.

"You..." Joker started, "You..." and all of a sudden hysterical laughter, from him as his sidekick, laughing AND pointing, Dinah was getting mad, "You're so not Black Canary! She was an uptight bitch with worst lines than Robin!"

::Hey!::

::Hey!:: Carolyn's and Dick's voices could be heard over the com link, both pretty offended.

"And unlike you, Goldylocks, she was over ten."

"Hey!" Dinah reacted to that, "I'm telling you Joker, I'm Black Canary, and I'm here to take you down!"

"Yeah, that's about to happen kid.  Come on Harley, this isn't worth it!" Joker exclaimed.

::Di... Canary,:: Dinah smiled at the way Oracle addressed her now, ::There's bystanders outside, you can't let him go.::

"I wasn't going to, Oracle.  Hey Joker!" Joker turned and Dinah mentally threw him and empty cage.

"Well, well, well..."

"Am I worth it now?" Dinah asked.

"I'm actually going to enjoy this..." And now, it was Joker the one pointing the gun at her.

            "ENJOY THIS!!!" Huntress yelled as she kicked the Joker's gun from his hand.  Luckily, she had arrived just in time to help out her friend, apparently now Black Canary II.  Reese had stayed outside with Nightwing, keeping the bystanders away from harm's way.  With Reese there, they could probably count on Nightwing making an entrance sooner than later.

"Oh my God! Helena!" she thought she was hearing it wrong, an all too familiar voice was calling her, and by NAME, she might add.  She slowly turned to face the other woman.

"Doctor... Quinzelle?" she asked, facing the older woman dressed as a Harlequin.

::What???!!!:: Oracle interrupted in her head, ::Harleen Quinzelle???!! You never said her name was Harleen Quinzelle!!!::

"How was I supposed to know she was Harley Quinn?"

::One, ain't that original; two, were you paying attention when I taught you about...?::

"Obviously no, sorry, let's chat later!" Huntress addressed her mentor.  She couldn't be distracted now, this was going to be trickier than she had thought.  Dinah took the moment of distraction to telekinetically remove their guns.

"Well, well, well... Not bad for two girls dressed like two wannabe-rock-stars... But what about this?" He shot one blast at Helena, she only barely managed to avoid it.  "Ain't you precious!"

"You crazy psychopath, bloody murderer, son of a bitch..." All her anger came back to her.  She could remember her mother, bleeding to death, a knife in her chest... And he was the reason.  He was to blame, he had killed her mother, he was about to pay...

"Have we met before, darling?" he asked, with his annoying smile.

"We have." Harley smiled in a sick way, "This, Mistah J, is the woman I talked you about..."

"Oh... The Huntress!" he clapped.

"Or as I like to call her... Helena Kyle."

"You... you're insane..." Huntress muttered.

"Are you just getting that, Helena?" Harley asked.

"Ooohhh... bitch!" Huntress was as shocked, as Harley, when the Joker slapped his sidekick, quite hard actually.  She could see Dinah taking a little camera from her pocket, she was going to relay the whole scene to Oracle, good thinking, "Don't you realize it's no fun if you blow their secrets identities so early into the game?"

"Oh, but in this case it will be, Mistah J!" she jumped to her feet again, as if her boyfriend hadn't just hit her, "Helena Kyle... is the daughter of Selina..."

"Kyle? Oh my God!!!!" Joker laughed again, "You're Catwoman's daughter?? Then you should be part of the family and not hang out with kindergarten looking vigilantes like that one!"

"Hey you clown..." Dinah started.

"You killed my mother!" Helena shouted all of a sudden.  The Joker seemed caught off guard, like he couldn't quite understand what she was saying.

"Oh... right..." he finally said, getting it, "yeah, I did.  So, what's new with you?"

"What do you think? He's bloody insane!" He was there, finally.  But right at this moment, the last thing Helena needed was her big brother making his entrance, "Remember me, Joker?" He was standing in the doorway, defiantly.  His blue outfit, the mask, the self-assured smile... no wonder Nightwing was one of the greatest ever, she thought.

"Nightie? Is that you Nightie?" Joker exclaimed, "Ain't class reunions a lot of fun? You running with this girl-gang now? Nice!" he looked at Huntress and Canary appreciatively,

"I've waited for way too long for this."

"Let me guess, still mad about the Batchick? I noticed you had a thing for her back on the old days! Where's your daddy, Junior?" he asked.

"Deal with me." Nightwing answered.

"Not this time, 'Wing!" Huntress interrupted, stepping right in front of the Joker's face, "I'm going to finish this clown!"

"Don't do it, Huntress!" Nightwing warned.

"I've got to!" she yelled as her eyes turned feline and she attacked the Joker.  Soon enough Joker was throwing blasts at anything that moved, Dinah wanted to throw them back to him but was way too distracted with Harley Quinn, who was attacking her with a series of martial arts moves.  Harley was moving way too fast for Dinah to be able to hit her with something.  Nightwing was about to tear Joker and Huntress apart, but as in on cue a dozed henchmen appeared, each equipped with a big gun and with a painted smile.  He could take them easily, but she wouldn't be able to help Huntress.

Joker was good, Helena had to admit it to herself.  He moved faster than she thought for a guy his age, but she had to get to him.  The moment she had waited for seven years, payback time.  She knew it was the wrong thing to do, she could hear Oracle's voice in the com link but she couldn't make up the words, and she could remember Reese's words, she just hoped he would be able to forgive what she was about to do...

But she also saw her... All the times they had spent together, how much they had loved each other, of all the things Selina Kyle would have wanted for her daughter, Helena was sure that becoming a murderer would be the last, especially on her account.  But she couldn't help herself.  She scratched him, she didn't know she could do that! But she had scratched his face and now he was bleeding in four perfect lines.

"You are death, bitch! Say hi to mom for me!" he screamed as he shot her another blast, this one almost hit her.  She could feel her heartbeat, she couldn't think straight, she couldn't even see straight, all she knew was she had to destroy this man.  She gave him a few more kicks, as he continued his attack as well.

She should have been more aware of her surroundings, she shouldn't have allowed her anger to dictate her actions.  If she had been more careful, she would have noticed that Joker's last blast wasn't directed to her, but to the roof.  Before she had time to react, part of the roof fell down.  She healed fast, so she knew she would be okay even if the impact had been direct.  What she didn't saw coming, was ending up trapped.  One of the grinders fell right on top of her left leg, she couldn't move it, it was trapped.  Joker was coming to her now, slowly, relishing the moment.  She knew this was it, she had no hope of escaping.  She saw Dinah trying desperately to fight off Harley Quinn to get to her, she attempted to move the grinder, but Harley attacked her from behind, so Dinah lost her mental grasp on it.  Nightwing was running towards her when three of the henchmen got back to their feet and ganged up on him, he was not going to make it on time, Joker was raising his hand and it was starting to glow.

"I'm sorry Barbara..." she whispered, knowing Oracle was monitoring the whole situation.

::No!!! Huntress!!! Nightwing, Canary, GET TO HUNTRESS NOW!!!! HELENA!!!!::

"It's over Barbara, good-bye.  Reese..." she whispered, she knew he was using his com system as well, he had been calling to her not to murder the Joker as much as Oracle had, "I'm sorry, it's over." She was ready, she had no option.

"Nice meeting you, Huntress..." Joker was about to attack... when he let out a loud scream... his hand was bleeding now, a nasty looking cur in the middle of it.  Then Helena saw it, the object laying by the Joker's foot... a batarang.          


	8. Victims

Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS:  All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them.  Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  Okay, this is it for this week, I hope you like it, thanks for all the reviews and I promise to get back to writing the moment I'm back at my place.

Chapter VIII:  Victims

            _Bruce Wayne stared at his son, lying on his bed, sleeping peacefully.  What a different story from the one they had lived for almost three days now, not knowing if his boy was going to pull through it or not.  Luckily, it took more than a bullet to finish Dick Grayson._

_Dick was smiling now, Bruce noticed.  He was probably dreaming of his days at the zoo, about taking high risks, about taking over the night disguised as Robin, or now that adolescence had hit, probably about Barbara Gordon.  But he was dreaming, he was happy, he was at peace, or so Bruce hoped._

_He had done all he could to help this child when his parents died, because he saw such promise in him.  And now, he had become more than just his ward, Dick Grayson was his son, Bruce had adopted him, and loved him as such and more._

_Parents are supposed to keep their kids safe, not to dress them up and expose them to all the crazy rogue gallery of Gotham.  But he had done it.  And now, Dick was lying on his bed.  _

_They had been facing off against the Joker... "The biggest fish!" Dick had called him, alluding to his smiling fishes, and his status among his enemies.  Then, before Batman or Robin could react, the Joker had shot Dick.  That damned clown had shot his boy, his son.  That had been as close as Bruce hd ever wanted it._

_Dick loved being Robin, Bruce was sure of that.  But that wasn't important anymore._

_I am the mission._

_His own voice was calling out to him._

_I am the mission._

_But Dick isn't._

_I am the mission._

_I am a grown man, Dick is almost a child._

_I am the mission._

_I don't need him for the mission._

_I am the mission._

_I am and me alone._

_I am the mission._

_Dick was probably going to hate him.  He couldn't bear the thought of his own son hating him, specially because he loved Dick so much, even if he had no idea how to express it.  But when worst came to worst, he couldn't bear the idea of Dick hating him, but he welcomed it against Dick dying._

_Dick's Robin costume was on a chair nearby his bed.  Bruce took it in his hands.  It was over, the game was over, there are some things men simply can't risk.  The costume was not as important as his son, the mission was not as important as his son._

_I am the mission._

_And if the mission kills Bruce Wayne, if Batman kills Bruce Wayne, that's fine, for I am the mission.  But Robin won't kill Dick Grayson._

_"I'm sorry son." he whispered, kissing softly the young boy's forehead.  Then, he walked away from his room, taking the Robin costume with him._

Years ago, Joker had almost killed his son, Dick Grayson.  Then, he had successfully killed his second child and Robin, Jason Todd.  After that, he had put a bullet in Barbara Gordon's spine and had Selina Kyle killed.  And now, he was two seconds shy of killing his only daughter, Helena Kyle.

He'll be damned.

He hadn't used a batarang in years, but it was like riding on a bike, it came natural to him now that he needed it the most.  The batarang got the clown right on the hand.  The distraction gave Black Canary enough time to mentally move the grinder, and for Nightwing to help Helena out of the mess.  Joker was now staring at him.

"Batman," the clown said, a sick smile appeared on his face. He said it like a whisper, he was savoring the moment, drinking on the presence of his greatest foe.  After so many years, they were standing on the very same place.  Batman against the Joker, with Batman's family on the line of fire.

"Joker," he reciprocated, in his grave tone of voice.  All action surrounding him stopped:  Harley Quinn walked towards Joker, standing by his side.  Nightwing was as well at Batman's side in an instant, and Black Canary soon joined them.  Huntress was now standing on her own, she healed as fast as Selina did, he noticed, and was standing near Canary.

::Batman, get out of there.:: he heard Oracle's voice, ::Some of the neighbors called the police, all the noise has drawn attention.  Reese is trying to distract the bystanders, but when the police gets there... Joker will kill them.::

"I know," he replied.

"What now, Batsy?" Joker was smiling and he noticed, for the first time, Harley Quinn was looking strangely from him to Huntress and back at him, mouthing something she didn't finish saying.  He made a quick note of that and continued addressing Joker.

"What do you think Joker?"

"Well, I was about to kill the Huntress here, but I guess you'll object to that... wait just a minute there, champ..." Joker looked to be deep in thought, Batman knew what was forming in his sick mind, it was rather obvious, "This kid is Catwoman's... man! You actually did Catty!"

"You bastard!" Helena launched herself to Joker but he was faster, probably because of desperation, since she was the meta.  He grabbed her by then waist, "Let go the hell out of me, Batman! I'm going to finish the job you wouldn't!"

"Well, well, well, Batsy's little girl has a big mouth on her, hasn't she Harley?" Harley barely nodded, looking intensely at Batman.  Helena's comment had stung Bruce, but he didn't let go, this wasn't her fight, it was his, it had always been his.

"It's you an me now Joker!" he said, tightening his hold on his daughter.  He could hear the police sirens now, they were close.  Joker heard them too, but with Batman around, e was probably more interested in his archenemy than in shooting policemen.

"Afraid not right now, Bats, but soon.  Don't call me, I'll call you." And the Joker sent out a blast, cracking what was left of the roof, he and Harley were already running away, while the four of them were trapped in the remains.  Luckily, the clown didn't intend to kill them right then, not until his final battle with Batman.  All he had time for was to push Helena to the floor and cover her with his body, screaming for Black Canary and Nightwing to get down as well.

Once the tumbling down was over, they found the most unseen way to get out, since a bunch of curious were already gathering around.  When they got a few blocks away, in an empty alley, they finally stopped to catch their breaths.

"Nice rescue, Batman." Nightwing said once he had calmed down, "Thought you didn't have the costume?"

"Alfred." He aswered.

"Got it."

"What now?" Black Canary asked.

"We get back to the Clock Tower, plan with Oracle and Black... well, Carolyn." Batman could see young Dinah Lance smile, she was probably proud Batman was now acknowledging her as the Black Canary.  Kids.  He didn't really like them.  Which brought him back to...

"You okay, Huntress?" he asked.  Helena was crouched, her head in her hands. He put a hand on her shoulder and she snapped.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Pardon me?" he asked.

"Helena..."

"Not now, Dinah! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"The job," he answered calmly.

"Not yours anymore.  You left New Gotham, we don't need you here anymore.  'I' don't need you." She started to walk away.

"Didn't look like it back there." Batman shot back, he would force this girl to talk even if he had to tie her to a chair.  His comment made her stop.  She turned, her eyes looking just like her mother's... whenever she was about to use her cat-o-nails on him.  He braced himself for it.

"Look, Wayne, this is the deal:  We have to work together to stop this scumbag, I get that.  But, we're not friends, we're not team mates, we're nothing.  I'm my own woman now, I don't need big bad bat to take care of me, and if Joker kills me... I rather have that than owe you my life.  Let's get the job done, so you can run away far from Gotham again, alright?" Then, Helena climbed in less than five seconds a twenty-story building.  Canary and Nightwing were just staring at him, until he finally started walking towards the car.

"Come on, back to the Clock Tower."

"Batsy is back! Can you believe it, Harley?! Batman is back in town... for me to kill!!!" She could hear her dear Mistah J talking, but she wasn't really paying attention to the words.  She was thinking, linking... she knew so much of Helena Kyle, she was her therapist after all! And gods, the girl had a troubled mind! She actually did like that about her.  And after all, she was Catwoman's daughter.  Harley had never disliked Selina, she had been fun, she had been good... if a little annoying acting like she was queen of the world all the time.  One thing no rogue was that happy about though, was the fact that she had this... tie, to their sworn enemy, the Batman.

The truth of the matter was Catwoman had been quite taken with the Dark Knight.  Dark and broody was sexy, that much was true, but Catwoman had seemed to be unable to make her mind between being a rogue or a member of the bat-squad.  Harley knew her Mistah J had Catwoman killed, and she understood his reasons.  That was not about the kitten, but about her bat-boy-toy.

When Harley had met Helena Kyle, two facts had struck her:  First, she had Selina's personality, that was a good thing, she had hoped to work with that, with her inner rage; second, she didn't look like Selina! She had this feline sexy look about her, like her mom, but she didn't resemble her.  And that had brought up the issue of the father... man, she was so happy about going back to her dayly job... she had finally cracked the big secret... SHE! Harley Quinn! HARLEY QUINN! H-A-R-L-E-Y... Joker's sidekick, everyone had treated her like just a sidekick all the time back in the old days... but Two-Faces never cracked the secret, Penguin, Riddler, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, none of them, not even Joker himself... she knew now.

"HARLEY!!!" she heard him yell and all of a sudden she was flying towards the wall, "Are you listening to a word I'm saying???"

"Sorry, Mistah J... but I know how to make it up to you..."

"Really?" Joker asked.  Harley stood up and walked slowly towards where he was now sitting, making herself comfortable on his lap.  She started kissing his neck, "Well, I'm still waiting, Harley!!" she heard him say.

"While you were gone, Mistah J..." she started, still caressing him, "I got back to my old job."

"The shrink thing?"

"Yep.  And Huntress... Helena Kyle, was a client of mine."

"Are you kidding?!"

"Nah-ah... I knew she was Cat's kid, never knew she was Bat's too.  But during our sessions... she did share with me her father's... civilian identity." Joker was looking at her straight in the eye now, she could see understanding downing on him.

"You mean..."

"Batman, is Bruce Wayne..." she whispered.

He smiled.

            "Black Canary?" was the first thing Carolyn said as Batman, Nightwing and her daughter entered the Clock Tower.

"Hope you don't mind..." Dinah smiled back at her.

"How could I? You're worthy of the mantle, I know it."

"Thank you!" Dinah hugged her, how much had she missed her little girl's hugs, her very presence.  She was thankful to the heavens she had even another chance to be a part of Dinah's life, she wasn't going to blow it this time around.  As she saw Batman sit heavily on the couch, taking his mask off, she could only wish the same for her old friend.

"Where is Helena?" Oracle asked.

"She's not here yet?" Nightwing shot back.

"No... what...?"

"She took off." Batman said. Carolyn and the others knew better than to push him on the subject.

"Okay... she's probably messed up with this Harley Quinn thing..."

"What IS this Harley Quinn thing, Barbara?" Carolyn asked, still not sure about what ties Helena Kyle had with the Harlequin.

"She's Helena's therapist." That did it.  Carolyn could see Bruce's head snap up and Dick... well, being Dick he was about to make a comment and laugh at the INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS situation... but that was just Dick Grayson.

"What a sec, Babs... Helena has been taking psychological advice... from... Harley "The Whacko" Quinn!!! Is this for real?!" 

Well, put it that way, it was pretty damn funny... Carolyn decided to better hid her smile, since Barbara was shooting daggers at Dick with her eyes and Bruce was about to lose it.

"This is not a joke!" 

And there goes Batman, she thought... 

"If anything, this is a liability.  We have no idea how much information Helena has shared with this woman, and Joker already cracked that she's my daughter! Now, we have to deal with the situation as fast as possible, before it becomes any more volatile.  Oracle," he addressed Barbara, "track down Huntress, we need to make a plan, all of the players are to be here.  Tell her she won't have to talk to me if she doesn't feel like it, but to get the hell here!" With that, Bruce walked away, to the balcony of the Clock Tower, were he could see New Gotham.

"They had a fall out." Dick commented off-handedly.  Oracle just nodded and went to call Huntress.  Carolyn patted her daughter's shoulder and went to join Bruce Wayne.

The sight was amazing, it was inspiring... all the people below, they depended on them, on what they were about to do... and they didn't even know it.  But Bruce Wayne was probably not thinking about them right now, probably for the first time in his life.

"Give it time," she said.  Bruce didn't even acknowledge her presence, so she continued, "She just met you, Bruce, she's mad.  When she comes around..."

"Why is she mad?" he asked.  It was a simple question, but she could see it was tearing him up, "I never knew, Carolyn! Barbara and Selina hid her well... Why do I feel so guilty, even if I had no chance to change things..."

"Because you failed your daughter.  Best intentions, best excuses, those doesn't change the fact that you failed your daughter." They remained in silence for a beat.

"I didn't know you had a daughter," he finally commented.  

She smiled.

"Yeah... I hid it well too.  After I left..."

"You mean after we broke up... I'm sorry about how everything turned out, Carolyn.  I was damaged, shouldn't have allowed it to happen..."

"I wanted to, I pretty much insisted on it.  And I knew you weren't over her.  You aren't over her even now." She smiled sadly, so did he.

"Selina was... I just loved her so much, and she loved me... and she's responsible for this whole mess.  She played me... she lied to me, she took my child away... and I still love her.  I see her reasons, I just... it would have been so much easier if she had told me."

"You don't understand, Bruce..." Carolyn sighed, "You couldn't.  I can't believe I'm about to say this, but Selina took the right decision." She could see Bruce's eyebrow get up. "I know, I don't like saying it either, but I can understand her as a mother."

"Dinah's father..."

"He's not the issue, and no, I never told him, wasn't about him."

"How can you...?"

"I know you're sensible about this issue, Bruce, but Dinah's father was better off.  You and Selina are a whole different story."

"How come? What Selina did..."

"She wasn't thinking about you.  Get that, Bruce.  Dinah's dad was some guy I met, he had a family, a wife, kids, a normal life.  He was a meta, but he hated his powers, he never used them.  I was a vigilante in the line of fire the whole time.  He regretted our affair every day since.  Would it had been good to tell him? Or Dinah?" Bruce just stared at her.  She trusted this man with her life, that was the only reason she was telling him all of this.

"I can see your reasons, Carolyn... I would've loved Helena."

"I know, Bruce, and I'm sure so did the thie... Selina.  But can you look at me, straight in the eye, and tell me you would have given up the mantle? For Selina? For Helena? Would you have stopped being a hero?" He was back in silence.  She knew she had hit home.  Good, he had to admit some things to himself as well.

"No," he finally answered, "But I would have taken some time off, I could've taken a step back, spending more time with my family..."

"That just isn't enough."

"How can you...?"

"That's what I did, Bruce!" she almost screamed, "When Dinah was born, I did all that, and when she was six years old, someone planted a bomb in her bedroom.  After that, I couldn't do it to her anymore, I gave her up.  We met again a few moths ago and she just hated me.  The only reason she's even talking to me now is because she thought I was dead... don't fool yourself, Bruce.  When someone like us is faced with this kind of decision... you have both, you know? You're either a hero, haunting at night, half the world your enemies, or you're someone's parent.  Selina gave up The Life for her daughter, you and I, we couldn't give up The Life, and I ended giving up my child.  You're right, you're not as much as fault with your daughter as I am with mine, you can work on that."

"I am," he whispered so softly she almost missed it "She knows this... Selina knew me so well... she knew I wasn't about to give up The Life, even for our baby, that's why she took off.  And then... when I left... she was alone, and she was mad, and all she understands is that I allowed her mother's killer to walk away."

"He was locked away..."

"She wanted him dead." 

What could she say? She just slowly started to walk back to the living room, there she saw Nightwing and Dinah talking, her daughter felt her eyes, and waved at her, smiling.  Carolyn just smiled back at her.

"She'll come around, Bruce.  Trust me." And then she joined her daughter.

            "Hey there." He smiled at the woman lying over his car.  She smiled back at him, but he could read the tiredness on her face.  He had been helping to evacuate the ares of the 'mysterious confrontation' at the pet shop.  His car was on a safe distant, so no one could see either of them now.

"Everyone's alright?" she asked, as Reese encircled her waist with his arms and kissed her slowly.

"No casualties," he finally answered.

"Good."

"What about you?"

"Dinah, 'Wing and Batman are probably back at the Clock Tower.  Joker and Quinn left as well."

"Why aren't you back at the Clock Tower."

"I wanted to see you." This time, she was the one who kissed him.

"That's sweet," he smiled, "But a lie.  What's going on? You should be back with your friends sketching a plan... hell, I should probably be there as well!"

"I just..." she started.

"What happened Helena? I was evacuating the zone and next thing I heard was you saying good-bye over the com system! I couldn't even get inside, the cops were around me! Then all of a sudden you're alright..."

"Okay... the thing is, Joker had me.  I was good to go Reese, no way to escape, 'Wing and Canary... that's Dinah now, couldn't help me... at the last moment, he showed up."

"Batman?"

"He saved me, he stopped me from killing Joker and when the rooftop came down he shielded me with his own body."

"And that's a bad thing...?"

"Why did he do it Reese? Why?!"

"Helena, he's your father..."

"How can you be the father of some woman you just met! And I don't need him, I can't need him..."

"Helena..."

"You don't get it, Reese... I don't know him, I can't trust him.  For all I know he can act like he cares about me now and leave town the moment Joker is taken care of."

"How do you know that?"

"Well he IS big in running away... and I can't take the chance.  I just can't and I..." she couldn't quite finish her sentence.

"You're starting to wish you could?"

"I... I don't know.  He's my father... that won't change just because I will it to change... And you were right, my mom would have wanted for me to give him a chance... He doesn't seem like a bad guy, does he?" 

Reese smiled at her and caressed her cheek, she was as eager as a little girl, and she was starting to calm down.

"Yeah, he does."

"I snapped at him, Reese."

"What do you mean?"

"After he saved me... I was so... I don't know, shocked I guess... and I just said hateful things out of the blue, for no reason, because I was so damn scared..."

"Go to him and take them back."

"I can't do that?"

"What do you have to lose?"

"EVERYTHING!! Can't you see it? After what I have said, he's probably going to forget all about me now... he's going to leave and never look back, and I rather he do it sooner than later when I..."

"Get attached..."

"I just don't know what to do anymore, and then Joker on top of things... and Harley! Damn it, she's my shrink!"

"WHAT??!"

"I've been taking anger management therapy..."

"Are you kidding?? All this time... this is you trying to control your temper??!!" He was almost laughing now.

"Do you mind?" she asked him.

"Sure... sorry."

"Good... It happened Reese, I was this close to kill him with my bare hands, but Batman stepped in... I was just so mad... I want to tear the Joker apart with my hands and I want him to suffer, for as long as I can make it last, he should suffer as much as mom did when that henchman stabbed her, as much as I have every day since..."

"Hey, hey, hey... he will, Helena... he's back to jail the moment we get to him..."

"That's not good enough!" 

He was surprised that her eyes changed to cat-looking, even though she wasn't about to get into a fight... at least he hoped so.

"Okay... never mind now... just calm down, okay?" He took her in his arms and was happy that she didn't pull away.  Her head was resting on his shoulder, her arms around his waist.

::Huntress... Report, Huntress.::

"Damn it!" Helena exclaimed.

"What?" Reese was surprised.

"You don't have your com on, do you?"

"No."

"Oracle's calling me."

"Oh." He searched frantically for his com system so he wouldn't miss the rest of the conversation.

"I'm here, Oracle," she answered.

He got his com system on.

::Huntress, you have to get back to the lair, NOW! We need a plan... and I have some things to tell you.:: 

Reese noticed Oracle sounded mand apparently Helena was as surprised by this as him.

"Alright, I'm on my way," she answered.

"What about me?" he asked.

::Reese? Good.  Get back to the police station and make sure none of your colleagues gets close to us or Joker... I'll call you when we need your help.::

"Fine, just keep me posted."

::Deal.  Huntress, now.:: and that was it.

"Guess I should leave." Helena said.

"Yeah... Be careful, okay?"

"Promise... you too?"

"Sure thing.  Come here." He kissed her one last time, before she smiled at him and made her way back through the rooftops.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING???" was the first thing Oracle said... well, yelled at Helena, the minute she got back to the Clock Tower.

"I was with Reese." The younger woman seemed confused.

"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it! What were you thinking, Helena?"

"You know what, Barbara? Cool off, I don't know what your problem is..."

"My problem? My problem?! Well Helena, my problem is that you came this close to commiting suicide." She had taken Helena aback with her accusation.  Helena was good at hiding her emotions, but Barbara could read some things about her no one else could.  This time, it was there for about half a second, but she knew the look that crossed her face.  She was surprised... She had got caught.

"What the hell are you talking about?" she shot back.

"I know you, Helena, I do.  I've seen you walk away from bigger messes and I know that, up until this moment, the one thing I could count on was for you to never give up.  Why?" No answer, "Why so easily? Why with Joker?"

"I wasn't..."

"Stop lying, please.  Why did you do this? Why were you giving up jut like that..."

"I..."

"Helena, please..." she begged.

"I don't know." Helena finally whispered, "I just... I thought that was it, over..."

"It was not..."

"But I wanted it to be over..." Barbara noticed Bruce Wayne standing by the doorway, Helena's back to him and Huntress' senses were a bit off at the moment, so she probably didn't feel him.

"You're so young..."

"I'm so tired, Barbara... I'm just making all this thing so much harder... I just thought he was going to kill me... I didn't intend it that way but... for a moment... I felt relieved."

"Relieved?"

"That I wouldn't have to deal with all this mess anymore... my life, that I would see my mother again and she would protect me... I don't know."

"Please Helena, never, ever, do this again." Barbara could feel tears falling down her cheeks and Helena seemed very lost at the moment.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..."

"I know."

"I don't want to die."

"Good, I don't think I could live with the idea of you dying, Helena... you know that, don't you? I know you hate this part, but I love you, I want you to be okay, you're my family."

"I know."

"Good." Barbara caressed her cheek, smiled at her, and wheeled away.  She could see Bruce was now about to approach her daughter.

            Bruce was trembling as he made his way to Helena.  He just couldn't believe what he had just heard... His daughter had almost allowed the Joker to kill her... And she hadn't done it because she wanted to kill herself. She had just wanted everything to stop... he could sympathize with it, but he couldn't be one of the bad things she wanted to fade away.

"Helena..." he whispered when he was close enough.  The girl almost jumped from her skin.

"Where you listening the whole time?" she asked composing herself.

"I'm sorry, I never meant to..."

"I can't believe it..."

"Damn it, Helena! Just allow me to talk for five minutes and then if you still want me to, I'm out of your life, but let me say this." 

She was surprised by his outburst, he could tell, but at least now he had the chance to have this conversation with her.  

"I don't blame you... for wanting to make all this thing stop... I've been there so many times... That's just running away, and you're right.  I did that, but you were about to do it yourself now... All I'm saying is that when things get too out of hand, our first impulse is to run away.  I don't blame you, I have no right to, but... I can't be one of the things you want to forget, I can't be the one pushing you over the edge.  I want to get to know you, and I want to be your father, but that doesn't matter... This is about you, not me, what you need, and if that's me disappearing from your life, I'll do it." Silence, she wasn't even looking at him anymore.  He took it as a sign and started to walk away.

"Did you love her?" her voice made him halt.  Thanks God.

"So much..." he whispered, turning back to face her, "Never before and never after have I loved anyone quite the way I loved your mother... She was beautiful, brilliant, funny, crazy, dangerous, bold... She was everything I could've dreamed of."

"She always loved you, she told me so."

"Did she?" He could feel the tears threatening to come down his face.

"Yeah.  And that the only reason she left was that she knew you couldn't give me the life she wanted for me."

"She was right... I'm so sorry Helena, but..."

"You had to be Batman?"

"Do you know why I took the mantle?"

"No... Barbara tried to tell me a couple of times, I never really listened..."

"When I was a kid, I was walking down an alley with my parents, we were mobbed, and then they were both killed... right there, in front of my eyes... I wasn't older that ten... and I saw their lifeless bodies... So I decided never to allow it to happen again, that no other kid would live through that... and for all of the lives I've saved, for all the kids that didn't go through that... my daughter did... I can never apologize enough for that... Selina was killed because of me, and I wasn't there to protect her... or you." He looked at her intently, she looked just like a little girl and he wanted to take her in his arms so badly, to allow her to get the rest she needed, protect her from her own demons... But he couldn't, not just yet.

"I felt so helpless..." she started, "I was sixteen, I saw that man stab her... He was standing there, knife in his hand... the knife was tainted with her blood... he let it fall and ran away... I yelled for someone to catch him but no one moved, and I couldn't bring myself to leave her side... I was trying to stop the bleeding, to get her to open her eyes... but she didn't... and now, I save so many people on a regular basis and I couldn't help my own mother..."

"I know... I understand, Helena, more that anyone else could." 

She looked back at him, he released the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"I'm mad at you... I'm not sure why, but I just am..."

"I know."

"You abandoned me... and I know you never knew about me... But I was so scared and I thank God I had Barbara with me... but I... I... I needed you."

"I wish I could've been there... I wanted so badly to be there..."

"All I ever wanted for you was to find that bastard who stabbed my mom and kill him... but you wouldn't do it."

"I wanted to, I still do... But I can't do it."

"Why not? If you loved her so much..."

"That's why I can't, because I love her.  Because that wouldn't bring her back to me, because that wouldn't be the man she fell in love with... and truth be told, I don't think Selina would've approved of that... she had this... amazing and incomprehensible code of ethics, probably only made sense to her," he couldn't hide his smile, "One thing that was set on stone for her:  she wouldn't kill, not ever if she could help it.  I couldn't do it.  Less can I now, with you staring at me... I can't do it now because Selina went to such a length for you not to follow on her footsteps... I can't Helena, I'm so sorry." 

They stared at each other for about thirty seconds, in which neither of them said a word, until she finally spoke again.

"I can't promise I won't kill him."

"I know.  But you must know, I won't let it happen." She smiled, "What was that for?"

"You're the second to make that promise to me."

"See? Then that's taken care of." Another awkward pause.

"If you're leaving New Gotham," she looked at him, and he noticed the vulnerability in her eyes, "Tell me now."

"Do you want me to?"

"No... not yet..." she amended.

"Then I won't... I know I'm not a father to you yet, but I want to be... I want to get to know you... to earn your trust... and I want you to know me as well.  Can we... please, do that?"

"We can try," she answered, looking shyly away. "I can't promise anything."

"I know... but I'm willing to take my chances with you." She smiled at him, and it was the single most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his entire life.  His daughter was smiling at him, for the first time ever, his child was smiling at him, no hatred on her face, just nervousness, for what was about to happen, for the future ahead of them... a noise interrupted them.

"What the hell is that?" he asked.

"Delphi Alert!" she said, running towards Oracle's monitor room, he followed behind her.  The image that greeted him, he would never forget for as long as he would live.  In one of the monitors, there he was, Joker.

Not only that... Joker was smiling back at him... and he was at Wayne Manor. Bruce would recognize his own home... and worst.

Joker was pointing a gun at Alfred's head.

Alfred.

"I'm here, Batman... or should I call you Bruce?" Joker started, following with one of his hateful laughs. "Come and get me... or the old man is a goner."


	9. Sacrifices

Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS:  All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them.  Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  Hi guys, thanks for the patience, but I'm back now, so here's the next chapter.  Also, I promise I'm near the end already, so enjoy it!

Chapter IX:  Sacrifices

            _"Are you sure about this, young master?" the old man asked.  He didn't even turn his head as he nodded, he was busy, he had to be ready, "But Master Bruce, why do you feel the need to put your life in such a great risk?" he didn't answer.  There was no time to discuss this any further, the mission was set in motion now._

_He noticed Alfred left.  Good.  He was distracting.  He knew Alfred was concerned about him, but it was unnecessary, he could take care good care of himself, plus, he couldn't be distracted, time was probably the only luxury he couldn't afford right now.  As well intentioned as Alfred Pennyworth was, Bruce Wayne was relieved when he left.  He continued working on his computer._

_It took all ten minutes for Alfred to come back with a tray, carrying juice and a sandwich.  Bruce didn't turn and ignored the food, there was simply no time._

_"Master Bruce," that was Alfred's no-fooling-around voice, "If you insist on this course of action, it would be wise to eat." No response, he was busy, BUSY... What did he have to do? Tattoo it on his forehead? "Dr. Thompkins called." There was no time for Leslie Thompkins either, at least not right now. "Also, Mr. Fox needs you to contact him as soon as possible." Lucius Fox was a smart fellow, he could handle Wayne Enterprises and allow Bruce some TIME, T-I-M-E!!! Something Alfred wasn't apparently willing to do._

_Alfred had raised him since the day his parents had been murdered, the day that started every other day that had followed.  Bruce respected him a great deal, as a second father, and even loved him in his own special way.  He also knew Alfred like the back of his hand, so he had not doubt Alfred would simply stand there and distract him with all kind of news the old butler knew he didn't care about right now, until he had got what he wanted._

_Better give it to him right now._

_Then, maybe he would be able to get back to work._

_He took a bite of the sandwich._

_He took a sip of the juice._

_He saw Alfred smile._

_The old man turned to leave but this time it was Bruce that called him._

_"Alfred, wait.  Come and see this." He was smiling at his computer screen, a really proud of himself smile at that.  Alfred approached him, "This," Bruce Wayne stated proudly "Is the Batmobile."_

Along his life, Bruce Wayne had had a lot off opportunities to question his mission and wonder if it was actually worth it.  Now, seeing the man that had raised him in the claws of the Joker, a gun pointed at his head, Bruce wondered why he kept going.  The cost was getting to high, and he was getting to old.  But all that mattered now was to bring Alfred Pennyworth back home.  The screen shut down, the transmission ended.  Everyone at the Clock Tower remained in silence.

"That son of a bitch!" Helena was the first to speak as she threw a clenched fist against the nearest wall.  Bruce could empathize with her daughter, they just never saw this coming.  Alfred was the only one that had never chosen this life, and in more senses than he could count, the old man was their heart and soul. Alfred held them together and, ironically as it was, he was the one who always took care of them.

"How did he get to Alfred!" Dinah was next.  Youth is like that.  He could see that if the decision was either Helena's or Dinah's, they would be out the door, kicking assses all the way to the manor.  Luckily, they were there with them, who had experience and had fought more battles than they could count.

"They probably figured Bruce is Batman and went to the manor, found Alfred there and took him hostage." Barbara concluded.  Bruce took a second to feel proud of her, she was a fine detective herself now.

"This is my fault," Helena closed her eyes, "Harley played me."

"There's no use on this discussion now." Bruce cut the conversation, they had to get to business and fast, "We should be able to do this.  Joker and Harley Quinn have taken over Wayne Manor with Alfred as bait.  We should assume that sooner than later they'll get access to the Batcave."

"At the Batcave, they get the Batmobile and more weapons and tech supplies than they'd ever dreamed of." Dick concluded.

"We're talking of quite a huge mass of deadly force on the hands of a pair of loons." Carolyn agreed.

"Exactly, that's why we have to take them down before they figure out how to work everything at the cave." Batman finished.

"Two people taking stronghold, probably in the Batcave.  We have here Batman, Nightwing, Huntress, Black Canary I&II and myself." Barbara breathed, "We can do this, it's only a matter of planning."

"Reese." Helena said.

"What?" Nightwing asked.

"Detective Jesse Reese, we work with him a lot, he'll help and we do need a liaison with the cops here."

"Fine." Batman accepted, "So, we basically have four goals to achieve:  One, rescue Alfred; two, take Joker down; three, take Harley down; and, four, surround the manor in order to conduct the arrests."

"They probably have henchmen with them," Dinah offered.

"Yes, but we can take them easily.  They'll work mainly as a distraction before we reach either Joker or Harley.  It would be also a good precaution to assume Harley and Joker are at different locations." Batman said.

"Then we strike, every group at the same time." Dick concluded.

"Exactly.  Oracle," Batman was in full commanding voice now, "Call Detective Reese on behalf of Bruce Wayne, inform him that the manor has been taken and that we need a police cord to make sure the criminals don't escape, also, remind him that discretion is needed.  Carolyn and Dinah, you two go to rescue Alfred.  If I'm not mistaken, the Canary Cry should keep the henchmen at bay and Dinah is quite good at physical combat.  Dick, you should be able to take down Harley and whatever she's got under her sleeve on your own.  Helena, you are with me, we take down Joker.  Barbara, we need someone to keep us in contact and direct the mission... Once we're down there, you're the boss.  Everyone got this?" Everyone nodded, Helena and Dinah were just a bit stunned at how fast Batman's mind worked.  "Good, be ready in fifteen minutes." And with that he was gone to don Batman's costume again.

"Unbelievable!!!" the Joker exclaimed as he, Harley and the old butler made their way into the Batcave, after he had blown to pieces the Grandfather's Clock.  Never in his wildest dreams... and man, they were wild, had he ever imagined a place quite like this.  Sure right now it looked like a typhoon had just passed, but it was still an amazing place.  All the machines and funny looking liquids... no wonder Batsy was able to take him all those years.  Well, that was about to change right now.  He knew Batman's identity, after so many years, and Batman didn't know his... ha! He actually knew something Batman didn't! Well that was a kick on the head! He was winning... he was unstoppable.

Harley was tying Alfred to a chair.  The old man was the bait, he had made his research:  Bruce Wayne was some poor rich kid, his folks had been killed in front of his eyes by some amateurs when he was a little boy.  After that, little Brucie had been raised by his butler and grown up to be an infamous playboy in the jet set of Gotham.  Searching a bit more, Joker had found out that Bruce Wayne had dated a beautiful business woman by the name of Selina Kyle... Now, Joker knew Selina very well, the magnificent Catwoman.  After around a year Selina had disappeared.  Bruce had stayed.  Batman had stayed.  So, he was indeed Batman, no doubt about it.

Bruce Wayne was Batman.

So, he and Harley had come to Wayne Manor.  The place was creepy, just his kind of place, abandoned, Harley mentioned... well, it was good enough to become a safe house.  He had been lucky, really lucky, the butler was home.  The same butler who had raised Batman.  It had been just so darn easy! Now it was only a matter of waiting, specially once he found the cave.

A matter of waiting.

Harley was chatting and chatting.  He just ignored her.  He hated waiting, but this would be worth it.

            "Everyone in position?" Oracle asked, monitoring on the screen in front of her the progress of each member of the rescue party.  She was tense, and nervous, although she would never admit it.  This was a really personal matter, saving Alfred.  But also, she was used to work with Helena and Dinah, even Reese.  Now, she was imparting instructions to Batman, Nightwing and Black Canary as well.  For their plan to work, the timing had to be perfect, orders should be precise and execution must be excellent.  Now, everything was starting.

  ::I'm in position, Oracle,:: Reese's voice was the first to answer, ::I'm outside the manor.  The moment you signal I call the SWAT team.  It will take them thirty minutes to get here, after that we're entering the manor.::

"Fine, at that point, Joker and Harley should be taken care of and Alfred freed.  Canary?"

::We're both in position, Oracle.:: Dinah's voice came on, ::We're and the main cave's entrance, it will take us approximately ten minutes through the galleries to get to the Batcave.::

"Then you have twenty minutes to free Alfred and disappear.  Joker and Harley should be dealt with by then.  Nightwing?"

::All set, the henchmen never saw me.  I'll lure Harley out of the Batcave and back into the house.  Shouldn't be hard.::

"Don't be so cocky.  Batman? Huntress?"

::Here, Oracle.:: Helena's voice answered, ::we're on the manor's rooftop.  We'll probably have to take down Joker in the Batcave.::

"Make every effort within your power to get him out, do you copy me? As far from Alfred as you can."

::The moment he sees us,:: now it was Batman's voice, ::He'll make us chase him.::

"Whatever you do, it has to be ready by the time the SWAT teams comes.  We cannot delay calling them, they're our backup plan."

::Understood.::

"Alright..." Barbara took a deep breath.  No way to turn now.  Precise planning and excellence execution, now it was the time to put it all to the test.  She prayed to whatever God listening to protect every member of the team and started her chronometer, thirty minutes. "Now!" she finally ordered, as everyone got to the job at hand and Reese called the cops.

30:00 minutes.

            Nightwing waited until there was only three henchmen in the living room.  The others had gone back to the Batcave.  Apparently, Joker and Harley didn't quite get the hang of the security cameras just yet.  Probably they did now, but it was too late.  Nightwing was in.  The henchmen didn't notice him.  Good.  He jumped on them, still, he couldn't knock them unconscious just yet.  There had to be some commotion to attract Harley Quinn's attention, so she would leave the Batcave.  He decided to play with the henchmen for a while, with a series of kicks and punches that were meant to make them scream.

            Finally, two more henchmen emerged from were once was the Grandfather's clock, and after them was Harley Quinn.

            "Oracle," he called over the com system "Rabbit's out of the hole."

25:00 minutes.

            Huntress followed Batman through the window.  They were now inside the manor.  She took in a moment to see her surroundings.

"Where are we?" she finally asked.

"My bedroom.  Alfred knows I like to have the windows open, I figured he kept the tradition even after I left."

"Of course he did." She smiled, and continued following Bruce through the corridors, avoiding henchmen wherever they found them.  She hadn't been at the manor in so many years, this was sort of overwhelming, but there was no time for that.  They had to get to the Joker.

"We have to get him out of the Batcave." Batman commented.  They were near the entrance now.  She could see Nightwing squaring off against some henchmen, Harley Quinn was out already.  He had the situation under control and luckily she didn't notice them.

"I'll go." She started to go.

"No!  It's too dangerous! I lure him out, you wait here."

"I can do it!" she demanded.

"I know..."

::There's no time for this!:: Oracle's voice took the decision away from them, ::Huntress, get to the cave.  DO NOT face off against Joker on your own, get him out of the cave.  Understood?::

"Sure." Huntress answered after starting her way to the Batcave.  She could feel her father's eyes on her the whole time, she turned for a second to give him one last smile.

20:00 minutes.

            Black Canary and Carolyn Lance were finally at the Batcave, still hiding in one of the galleries.  No one could see them, good.  Dinah scanned the room.  Joker was still there, surrounded by about four henchmen, no Harley, Alfred was tied to a chair nearby.

            "Oracle," she called "We can see Joker and Alfred now."

            ::Wait until Huntress gets him out.::

            "Won't have to wait long." Dinah commented, as Huntress appeared in sight.

20:00 minutes.

            The henchmen were now all down.  Nightwing stood tall.  Harley Quinn looked at him.  A lot had changed.  He was no longer a little kid.  And she was no longer just a sidekick.  She was going out with a bang.  She pointed her gun at him.

20:00 minutes.

            "Well, well, well..." Joker nodded appreciatively at the woman in front of him, "You're back."

"Quite observant." Huntress teased him.  He could see her eyes turned, now they were cat-looking.  Amazing.  She was amazing.  It was going to be a pleasure to destroy her.  The henchmen were approaching her now, he had other ideas.  

"Wait!" They stopped. "This one is all mine!" he laughed frantically as he shot her one of his bolts.  She avoided it and got to safety climbing over a wall and hanging on the roof.

"Why don't you come and get me clown?"

"I don't know, kid-cat, maybe I should just had them kill you, maybe even stab her like with your mommy.  Wouldn't that be something?"

He had to admit he never saw it coming.  The kid was fast as hell, she kicked him square on the jaw and landed easily on her feet.  He was down.  He threw her another bolt and this time grazed her arm.  She screamed.  It wasn't so bad, barely a scratch, but he took her by surprise.  He jumped to his feet and attacked again.  This time she avoided the blast.  She practically materialized at the entrance to the manor.

"You want me, Joker? Let's make this fun."

"Don't have time for the previews, sweetheart.  Where's daddy?" Batman, he wanted Batman.  Huntress smiled.

"You want to get to him? You have to come through me first.  And I'll give you warning:  I'm better than you think, and definitely better than he is." She disappeared.  Joker was starting to get annoyed with that.  So Bat Jr. wanted to play? Well, she was about to get more than she bargained for...

He followed her, leaving the henchmen to take care of Alfred.

15:00 minutes

The moment Huntress got Joker out of the Batcave, Black Canary made her move on the henchmen.  She could take four men any day of the week, but then again this was not just another day of the week.  This day, she was on a mission with her mother.  So, she should have seen it coming while she was finishing the second guy.

"Alfred, Canary! Your ears!" she wanted to scream to her that she didn't need the help, that she could take them on her own, but Carolyn wouldn't listen and there was no time, any way.  She just covered her ears and went to protect Alfred as Carolyn Lance used the Canary Cry to finish the henchmen for good.

"That was totally unnecessary!" she said as she started untying Alfred.

"It was the easiest and fastest way."

"I could take them!"

::Canary!:: Oracle's voice was heard, ::Discuss this later, get Alfred out.::

"You're right, Oracle." Dinah answered, "You okay, Alfred?" she asked as she finished untying him and helped him stand up.

"I am now, Miss Dinah, thanks to you and Miss Carolyn."

"I'm glad you're okay, Alfred," Carolyn started, "But for this plan to work, we should get out of here now."

"You're right."

"What about Joker and Harley Quinn?" Alfred asked.

"The rest of the team is on it.  Come on, let's go." Dinah smiled.

"Not so fast, little girl." She froze.  She slowly turned.  Out of nowhere, ten henchmen were surrounding them.

"Damn," she muttered.

::Get Alfred out, now!:: Oracle instructed.

"I'll take this." Carolyn said.

"No, get Alfred out..."

"I can do this faster than..."

"Yeah, they keep coming, you keep taking them on and maybe they'll keep coming.  You have to go with Alfred, we don't know if Joker has secured the tunnel as well.  I use physical contact on my attack, that leaves Alfred without protection.  You have to go." She could see her mother was about to object, so she just gave her a pleading look.  "Please." Was all she said.  She looked at her mother for an instant.  This was their mission, and as hard as she knew it would be for Carolyn to leave her, she had to.  It was the only way.

"Take care."

"I will." Dinah smiled as her mother started rushing Alfred to the tunnel.  The henchmen were about to follow, but Dinah froze them telepathically.  There were ten of them, she could do this for only so long.  It was enough, Alfred was off with Carolyn.  The henchmen unfroze. "So, gentlemen," she smiled, "Let's play."

12:00 minutes.

Nightwing fell flat on his back.  He had to admit it to himself, he never imagined Harley Quinn getting this good.  Apparently, she had now mastered the martial art skills.  Alright, she may had gotten better, but he was still Nightwing.  He stood up.

"So, Miss Quinn," he started, "I can see what you have been doing all these years."

"Oh, you've changed a lot yourself, Wing-Boy.  You're past adolescence now! Kudos!"

She shot at him.  Luckily, he had grown up at a circus, he knew all about jumps and playing on the edge.  He avoided the bullet.  That didn't help him at all, Harley decided to start shooting all around her, how many shots can a gun have? Nightwing did all he could to avoid it until she was done.  He sighed.  Still in one piece.

::Nightwing, less than ten minutes to go.:: Oracle indicated.

"Understood." He had to finish the job and finish it now.

"Am I too much for you now, Nightwing?"

"You wish, Quinn." Bruce Wayne raised his son to be who he was now:  A superhero, a crime fighter, a detective, but above all, Bruce had raised him to be a gentleman.  That last part was particularly hard when you have women like Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, who were ready to blow up your brains.  Not for the first time in his life, Dick took a deep breath and decided to do what he had to do.  Harley had recharged her gun, now was pointing at Nightwing straight to the forehead.

Nightwing was fast.  So fast that Harley Quinn never noticed the batarang that flew to her hand and sent the gun flying out of her reach.  Neither did she notice that Nighwing held another batarang on his hand.  This one, he sent straight to the candlelight hanging from the roof, just above where Harley Quinn was standing.

The candlelight fell.  Harley only had time to look above her before it crash landed.  She let out a scream and that was it.  Nightwing run to her side.

"Quinn is down!" he absently contacted Oracle.  He lifted the candlelight.  She was bleeding.  He searched for her vital signs.

::Is she okay?::

"She's gonna be." He finally allowed himself to let out the breath he was holding, he carried her in his arms, "She's unconscious." He took her to the sofa.

::Tie her down and get the hell out, Wing.::

"Already on it, Oracle." Nightwing quickly tied her with a rope her was carrying, he also put a pair of handcuffs on her, just in case.  He was pretty sure that she wasn't going to be able to move if she came to, and he was satisfied that she was not badly injured. "Done, she's all wrapped for the nice Detective.  I'm leaving the premises."

::Mission accomplished.  Nice work, shortpants."

"Ha, ha," he answered and got to the nearest window.

10:00 minutes.

The first thing Batman noticed as Huntress came running to the entrance was that her arm was bleeding.  He was about to behave like a concerned father, but when she stopped and crouched on the floor, he remembered they were in the middle of a mission.

He was also shocked by her whole pose, crouching as he had seen her mother do it so many times, her eyes completely like hers, her whole demeanor... She was so much like her.  He looked forward to spending more time with the young woman in front of him the minute this whole mess was over.

Joker came out of the entrance.  He didn't realize Batman was present until he was standing between him and Huntress.

"Glad you could join us, Joker," he said.  Joker was started and turned inmediately to face the intruder.

"Well... aren't I between a rock and a hard place? Good one Bats.  Who do I kill first? You or your girl? Wanna see her die?" Bruce's blood was starting to boil, which wasn't a good thing, since he was supposed to remain calm enough to stop Helena from shredding Joker into little pieces.  Joker laughed and looked at Huntress, then back at Batman, "Should be interesting... She has Selina's eyes, doesn't she?" That did it.  He was about to kick his sorry ass, but Huntress beat him to it.  She jumped on Joker with a series of movements that would've made Dick Grayson jealous.  Bruce joined in the fight.  They were cornering Joker...

Something hit him on the back.  A henchman.  Where had he come from? Never mind, it took him about ten seconds to rend him unconscious.  When he turned, Joker was gone.  Huntress was already pursuing him, they were going for the rooftop.  He ran after them.

****************************************************************************

05:00 minutes.

Nine.

Black Canary finally stopped.

There were no henchmen left.  She saw the bodies lying on the ground, she had knocked out every single one of them.  Pity Huntress missed it.

But there was still a problem.

Nine.

There where ten henchmen and she had taken down only nine.

Damn it!

"Oracle, one of the henchmen in missing." It took a couple of seconds before Oracle answered.

::He got outside the cave.  Batman already finished him.::

"Alfred?"

::Carolyn and Alfred are still in the tunnel.  They're near the exit.  Reese will get them out of here.::

"Everything okay?"

::Quinn is down, Batman and Huntress are hunting down Joker.  It's done, Black Canary, get out of there.::

"Shouldn't I help them?"

::The cops will be there in five minutes, GET OUT.::

"All right."

::Nicely done.:: Oracle added.  Dinah smiled, then she started her way through the tunnel out of the batcave.

03:00 minutes.

Why was it everything ended on the rooftops? That was just all of her life these days.  It was only fitting that Joker had chosen the Wayne Manor's rooftop for their final fight.  Her father was standing behind her, it felt nice in a way, she was not alone.  Joker was smiling, why was he always smiling? It just made her madder.

::Three minutes.:: Oracle's voice stated.  

This had to be done, and fast.  Joker threw a bolt at her, she jumped away.  Then he tried to knock down Batman, but he also managed to avoid her.  Barbara was worried, Batman was getting older, would he be able to pull this one? He had to be.  He was Batman.

Batman threw a batarang at him.  It knocked him to the floor, which led to another burst of blasts.  They escaped from them, but she couldn't get close enough to finish him.  She could see Batman was having the same problem.

Time was almost up, there had to be a way...

02:00 minutes.

"You alright?" Reese asked as he saw Alfred Pennyworth and Carolyn Lance coming out of the entrance of the cave.  The older man looked exhausted.

"Yeah, thanks." Carolyn answered.

"Okay then, you have to get out of here.  Come on." His car was in front of the entrance, he handed the keys to Carolyn. "Get back to the Clock Tower."

"I can't..." Carolyn started, "Dinah is still inside..."

::Dinah is on her way out.:: Oracle's voice interrupted.

"Look, the police are almost here, you have to get out before someone sees you." Reese insisted.

"Can't we just wait?" Carolyn asked.

"I'm sorry, but there's no time." Reese tried to get them into the car.

::Don't worry, Carolyn, Dinah is out of danger.  Just get Alfred here.  Canary will regroup with Nightwing and they'll come to the lair together.::

"Alright," she finally conceded.  Carolyn and Alfred left.  Reese was still standing at the entrance of the cave.

"Where is she?" he finally asked.

::Huntress and Batman are cornering Joker on the rooftop.:: Oracle's voice came.

"Understood.  I'll survey the zone until they're both out." With that, Reese went back to his position.  He could already hear the police cars on the distance.

01:00 minutes.

How do you approach an enemy that throws energy blasts at you with his hands? Usually, the best way to go about it is try a series of jumps to avoid the blasts, hoping to get lucky at some point, and be able to get close enough to deliver a good blow.  At least, that's what experience told Batman.

The problem was, since they were on the rooftop, there was nothing he could jump around or use as a barricade.  Also, he was not in his prime anymore, his jumps came slower.

Huntress came in handy on that department, she was having better luck.  Right now, Joker was distracted with her.  Batman took this opportunity to get close enough to the Joker's back.  The Clown Prince of Crime was about to deliver a couple of blasts to Huntress, but Batman got a rope around his chest, pulling him towards himself.  Then, everything happened very fast.

Joker was already preparing the blasts when Batman trapped him.

Huntress was already on the air, to jump on Joker.

Batman pulled Joker close to himself.

Huntress managed to land close to the Joker without hitting Batman.

The three of them were so close.

Joker's hands where glowing.

Suddenly the blast sent all three of them flying.

Joker landed next to the edge.

Batman was on the middle of the rooftop.

Huntress was sent to a distant corner.

Batman started to stir, all his body ached.  He stood up, Joker was already coming to, Huntress, who was laying on the floor.

He approached Joker.  His vision was blurry from the impact, he never saw the blast coming straight to his chest.

00:00 minutes.

Dinah Lance, a.k.a. Black Canary finally breathed.  She was out of the cave.  She could hear the police cars.  No time for rest yet.  She continued running, away from the Wayne property.

00:00 minutes.

Huntress opened her eyes. She was dizzy.  One minute she and Batman had Joker good to go, next Huntress knew, she was lying on the floor and her body ached like hell.

Batman!

She could see him now.

He was facing the Joker.  But something was different... He was probably as stunned as she was.  He didn't notice Joker preparing a blast.  He wouldn't miss, his hands were free, they were close, he wouldn't miss.

"Father..." she whispered, allowing herself to call the man in the bat gown that.

There was no time, Joker had already fired his blast.  She couldn't reach Joker.  She couldn't reach her father.  There was just one thing to do.

She was faster than a bullet.  Sometimes people thought she disappeared in thin air.  Still, she wasn't fast enough to stop the Joker from shooting.  Well, she had already lost her mother to this psycho, she was not about to lose her father, the only chance left for her to have a father.

As she jumped between the blast and her father, many thoughts crossed her mind, more than she thought possible.  Carolyn Lance, Dick Grayson, Dinah Lance, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne, Barbara Gordon, Jesse Reese... All she had never told them, all she had never lived with them... Finally, she thought about her mother, Selina Kyle.  All she had learned from her, all Selina had given up for her.  Helena now understood.  All this people in her life, everyone, had given her something.  And when you care about someone, like her mother had cared for her, like she was starting to care for her father... well, then life without them just didn't make sense.

            She regretted the time she wouldn't share with Reese, not getting to know her father, not seeing Dinah grow up, but now, what she regretted the most, was not having enough time to tell Barbara Gordon that she knew now she wasn't alone, to thank her for all Barbara had done for her, and to tell her she loved her too.

The blast impacted her body.

00:00 minutes.

So fast.  He couldn't make a movement, he was too late.  Joker had sent a blast, he didn't even notice.  It would have been his end, that blast was huge and meant to kill.

Then, his daughter fell to his feet, all he needed to register what had happened was the scream she let out.  She was on the floor, convulsing. Bruce fell to his knees and took her in his arms.  His daughter... not her, not her too... for all the lives he had saved, for all the lives he had lost... not again... not her... not ever again.

Joker was a dead man.

He raised his eyes to meet his greatest foe.  He was now taking a couple of steps back.  He raised his hand, glowing.

"You're about to join your family, Batman." Joker said.

Then, he stopped, screamed, his shoulder was bleeding.  He lost his equilibrium.

Joker fell from the rooftop.

00:00 minutes.

He only had time to register four facts:  One, the police was almost there; two, Joker was standing near the edge; third, he was about to blast someone; four, Huntress and Batman were the only ones left in the premises.

There was only one thing to do.

He pointed his gun and shot him on the shoulder.

Joker fell.

Reese ran towards his body and was relieved to find a weak pulse.  The police were not there.  He looked up and what he saw stopped his heart:  Batman was flying away with a rope, carrying Huntress in his arms.


	10. Healing

Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS:  All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them.  Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  Okay guys, this is it, I finally finished this story.  Thank you all for the great comments, your reviews made it the more fun writing it.  So, here it goes, have fun!

Chapter X:  Healing

_"Mommy..." Barbara Gordon and Selina Kyle stopped their conversation and turned their attention to the four-year-old girl in standing in front of them, wearing pajamas covered with bunnies and rubbing her eyes.  Barbara had to smile, Helena was so cute.  It was around 9:00 p.m.  Barbara was visiting Selina and Helena, and planned to hang out for a couple of days. Barbara liked checking up on them.  She and Selina were catching up after they had put Helena to bed._

_"Hey, what are you doing up?" Selina stood up and walked to her daughter._

_"I don't feel good..." the child whined._

_"Of course you don't, Helena, you ate candies all day!" Selina laughed._

_"I said I was sorry..." Barbara commented.  She didn't mean to feed the kid with all the junk food in the city, but Helena was so happy and she didn't see her that often, and apparently she was a loser for the littler girl._

_"Never mind," Selina answered before addressing her daughter again, "Is it too bad, honey?" Selina carried the child in her arms._

_"Yeah.  My tummy hurts."_

_"Okay, let's give you something for that tummy.  Barbara? Second drawer on the top?"_

_"Sure." Barbara watched as Selina took her daughter into her bedroom and then went to the drawer, where she found everything to make some tea for Helena.  As she got to work, she couldn't help but feel... surprised? She knew Selina had turned her life around, but it was still weird, a little girl with a tummy ache and Catwoman aren't two concepts you usually associate._

_She could understand why Selina was so crazy about her daughter, the kid was amazing.  She was gorgeous, funny, really amicable, sweet. Barbara enjoyed spending time with her.  Still, part of her considered it her duty.  Helena was Bruce Wayne's daughter; even if Selina was ready to avoid the subject for dear life, that fact would never change.  And she, Barbara Gordon, Batgirl, was keeping this huge secret from her mentor.  She had to believe it was all for the greater good, and she also had to make sure this kid grew up good and happy, not resenting the absence of her father.  Otherwise, she would have to admit that she had made a big mistake in lying to Bruce, and she wasn't ready to even contemplate the possibility._

_She carried the tray with the tea back to Helena's room.  Mother and daughter didn't notice her presence. Barbara took the opportunity to watch them interact for a little while._

_"And five bars of candy, and chocolate, and then a milkshake, and fries, and more candy..." apparently, Helena was ratting her out._

_"How could you eat all that?"_

_"I don't know."_

_"But you're such a little kid, where did you put all that stuff?" Selina asked as she tickled her daughter a bit, the girl laughed._

_"I was hungry."_

_"I'll say.  Take this as a lesson, Helena, you can't go and eat everything in sight."_

_"Yes, I can."_

_"No, you can't."_

_"Yes, I can."_

_"No, you can't."_

_"Yes, I can." Helena was now smiling._

_"You're annoying, you know that?"_

_"No, I'm not." Barbara saw Selina smiling as well.  Five minutes ago Helena was complaining about her tummy and now she was laughing.  She could see her visibly relax whenever her mother was in the room, Helena sought Selina's arms all the time, she always wanted to sit in her lap and sleep in her bed.  Yesterday Barbara had seen Helena go through her mother's closet trying all her clothes, huge for a girl her size.  She wondered what it was like, how Selina felt about this.  Seeing the former Catwoman now, Barbara  could tell that  she was happy.  Maybe she would understand it all better when she had a kid of her own, if she ever did._

_"Hey guys," Barbara finally announced herself and carried the tray to Helena's bed, "Here's the tea."_

_"What do you say, Hel?" Selina said._

_"Thank you, Barbara."_

_"You're welcome, sweetie, now drink it all." Helena smiled and started drinking the tea.  Barbara stayed with them until Selina told her daughter to try and get some sleep.  Barbara left the room, Selina stayed with the child until she was asleep._

_Barbara was reading on the couch when Selina finally came out of the room an hour later._

_"Is she sleeping?" Barbara asked._

_"Yeah, once she stopped talking!" Selina laughed._

_"She's got quite a mouth on her."_

_"Tell me about it.  But seriously Barbara, you can't buy her everything she asks for, trust me on this, she has no limits, she will eat candy until she explodes."_

_"Yeah, I know, but she gives me that look and asks nicely..."_

_"I know, that's her way, she has you all wrapped around her little finger already."_

_"Okay, I promise to try and not make your kid sick anymore." She joked.  They remained in silence for a little while._

_"So... did I pass the test?" Selina finally asked, half-joking, half-seriously._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Come on Barbara, you're checking on us to see if she's growing up alright, I don't take it personally."_

_"Don't you?"_

_"I understand your reasons, let's leave it at that.  What's the verdict?"_

_"You're doing a great job."_

_"It's easy, she's a great kid."_

_"She's also pretty smart..."_

_"Just come out and ask already, alright?"_

_"Fine, has she asked about Bruce?"_

_"No.  She's a kid."_

_"And when she does?"_

_"I'll deal with it.  I know what you think about this, but this is the best for her."_

_"Do you miss him?"_

_"Of course I miss him... But that's not important anymore, Helena is."_

_"Even if it tears you and Bruce apart, Selina?"_

_"Even so.  You don't get it, Barbara.  You can't.  She's my daughter, nothing is more important than that.  My main duty, the reason I'm alive, is to keep her safe and happy, to raise her to be the best person she can be."_

_"She loves you very much."_

_"I know."_

_"Seriously, she looks up to you like you're a God or something."_

_"Now you're overdoing it."_

_"I'm not.  I just can't help but wonder what's that like, you know? Loving a child so much, having a kid adore you like that... I don't know, it's just amazing."_

_"You really want to have a maternal-kind conversation with me?" Selina raised an eyebrow._

_"Well, you ARE a mother."_

_"Yeah, but I'm not that sweet." Selina smiled._

_"Neither am I." Barbara laughed, before turning on the TV._

Barbara Gordon's heart stopped when she heard Huntress' scream.  Her computer screen already registered a very weak heartbeat from the perfect signal of the minute before.  She knew Huntress was down even before Batman reported it.  Not for the first time, she wished Selina Kyle could be here to make her daughter feel better.  Not for the first time either, she wished she could make Helena feel better.  But this was different, this was deadly, and there was nothing she could do.  Huntress was already down.

::I have to get her to the hospital!:: Oracle could read just how worried Batman was in his voice.  Her first thought was to tell Batman to bring her to the Clock Tower, but as she read again the vital signs of her young protege staring at her on the screen, Barbara knew she was out of her league.  Huntress was collapsing, she needed medical attention and she needed it now.  The only problem was explaining how she got hurt... and the big man dressed as a bat carrying her.

"You can't, Batman, you're on uniform."

::I don't care! She's barely breathing!::

"No, Batman... listen to me, take her to Reese, he'll get her to the hospital."

::I'm not leaving her! Not again...::

"I'll send you clothes, just stop arguing and do it, damn it! There's no time, she's dying!" Tears fell down Barbara's eyes as her own words confirmed her greatest fear.  Saying it somehow made it so much more real.

::Where is Reese?:: Batman's voice finally came.

"Check your GPS, I'm sending the coordinates now.  Reese, do you copy me?"

::Oracle! What the hell happened?! Where's Huntress?::

"Listen to me Reese, Helena was blasted by the Joker.  It's bad, Batman is going to your car now, you've got to get her to the hospital before it's too late."

::But... she heals fast...:: 

Barbara could hear the nervousness in the young detective's voice, there was genuine concern there.

"Joker's a meta, this was no simple attack, it was meant to kill Batman.  Just get her to the hospital, please."

::Count on it.::

Barbara had to think straight, there were things to do, steps to take... Helena had to be alright.  That damned clown! Hadn't he taken enough from her already? First her legs and now...? Helena was strong, she was a meta, she had been hurt in the past... never like this, never so close to... She had to get to the hospital, she had to be by Helena's side, make sure she would be alright... Barbara was missing something, just wasn't sure what...

The elevator coming up helped her focus.  Her friends! She had to tell her friends about Helena.  Carolyn Lance and Alfred Pennyworth stepped out of the elevator.  They were both smiling, until they saw Barbara's face.

"What happened?" Carolyn asked.

"Joker..." her voice was barely a whisper, "He tried to kill Bruce... and... Helena took the blast."

"Oh my goodness!" Alfred exclaimed, Carolyn remained silent.

"Reese is taking her to the hospital... Alfred, I need you to meet Bruce... give him civilian clothes please."

"Of course, I'm on my way." 

She knew the old man was as much in shock as she was, but he was one of the only people Bruce would tolerate near him right now.  She just looked at her hands as Alfred left in a rush.

"Should we go to the hospital?" Carolyn asked softly.

"I... Dinah and Dick..."

"They can go on their own... Barbara, do you want to go to the hospital now?" Carolyn took her hands in her own.

"It's really bad," she blurted, "She could die, Carolyn."

"Barbara... I'm so sorry." 

Barbara stared into space for a few seconds before finally making up her mind.  "Nightwing? Canary?" she started her com system again.

::Here, Oracle.  What's up?:: Nightwing answered.

"Listen to me 'Wing:  Joker got Huntress, Reese is getting her to the hospital, you two come back to the lair, get changed into civilian clothes and then come to the hospital."

Nothing.

Barbara looked at Carolyn.

Silence.

::How bad?:: Nightwing finally asked.

"Really bad," she answered.

::Is Helena going to be okay?:: This time it was Dinah's voice.

"We hope so.  We're all going to the hospital already."

::Yeah, go Babs!  The kid needs you.  We'll be there as soon as possible.::

"Okay." Barbara cut the communication, "Let's go." She said.  Carolyn nodded and they left for the hospital.

Bruce Wayne was going out of his mind.  He couldn't be just standing there, waiting for his clothes.  For all he knew his child was dying! NO! She couldn't be... She was stronger than that... He shouldn't be standing there.  But it was for the best, last thing Helena needed right now was tabloids with news about a guy dressed as a bat.  He had to wait.  It was always like this, the mission demanded for his mind to remain calm, for him to think clearly... it was just too much.  He couldn't lose her, he never got an opportunity to actually get to know her... his daughter.  He should be with his daughter, but he couldn't right now, because of the mask.  Batman's business always took priority.  Not anymore... she was going to make it, and he was going to take care of his daughter, not Batman's daughter, Bruce Wayne's daughter.  He was going to make it up for her, he was going to make sure she was never ever hurt again... All she had to do was wake up.

A car stopped by his side.  Alfred was driving, he got into the car.  The old butler handed him a bag with his clothes.

"You can get change on our way, Master Bruce."

"Get to the hospital as fast as you can," Bruce muttered.

"Of course." He started driving, "I'm so sorry, son." His voice surprised Bruce.

"It's not your fault, Alfred.  That blast was meant for me."

"She'll be okay, she's a fighter." 

Bruce didn't answer, he just prayed Alfred was  right.

"Go! Quick!" Dick said as the elevator stopped.  To her credit, Dinah Lance practically flew to her bedroom in order to get changed.

He himself started tearing at his costume as frantically as he had ever undressed.  Damn it! He should have stayed... he could've helped, he had more experience facing Joker than Helena and he was certainly more in control of his emotions at the moment.  That's why he hated all the planning and overanalyzing to death Bruce and Barbara were so fond of.  This kind of plays should be played by heart, and his heart told him he should have stayed with Batman and Huntress.

Too late now.  No time to think and rethink his actions.  This was the hard part about being a hero.  He was used to take action.  That was the kind of man he was.  That was the kind of man he had been trained to be.  It was a good mindset, it worked on the field.  Sadly, it was just maddening in a situation like this.  All he could do was run to the hospital, sit on a chair and wait for some doctor to come out of the ER and tell him if his sister was dead or alive.

He was not made for that.

He couldn't help her.  No matter what, he couldn't.  He was Nightwing, protector of Bludhaven, he was once a member of the Flying Graysons, he was a superhero... and he couldn't do a damn thing.

They had to get to the hospital.  Now.

"Dinah?! You ready?" he asked, now fully dressed.

"Yeah.  Let's go." Dick nodded.  This was a brave kid.  She had fought valiantly to rescue Alfred, she had survived her own pain to became a hero, and now she was pretending her eyes weren't red and that she had not been crying, so Dick wouldn't notice.  As they got back into the elevator, Dick put his arm around her shoulders.

"It's going to be okay." He said with all the conviction he could summon.  She just nodded.

Reese closed his eyes.  He was in the waiting room, he had been in the waiting room for a while now.  He didn't remember ever driving as fast as he had tonight.  After Oracle's instructions, it took about two minutes for Batman to appear in front of him.  Helena was unconscious in his arms.  Even with the mask, he could see the worry in the older man's eyes.  Reese had taken Huntress in his arms, slowly, trying not to hurt her.

Oracle was right, it had been really bad.  Huntress had been barely breathing and every now and then she had convulsed a bit.  She had been so cold... It had been shocking.  Never in his life he had met anyone so full of life as Helena Kyle, she was amazing, she was full of energy... But she had laid shattered in his car.

Reese had driven like hell, and when he had reached the hospital, he had carried her in his arms, running until he had got the doctors attention.  He had simply said that she had been electrocuted, and then the doctors had rushed her away.  He had followed her until the nurses had stopped him.

That had been when he had been sent to the waiting room.

She was struggling for her life in the very same building and he was in the bloody waiting room.  What those doctors didn't realize was that they didn't only have Helena's life in their hands, they had his as well.

Could she actually die? He had never considered it as a possibility before, she was so good on the field and so strong... She could die.  Helena, his lover, could die.  What if she did? What would he do then? Could he take it?

The answer was clear in his head as his hands began to shake.

He couldn't.

He needed her.

He had become used to her presence, he missed her when he wasn't around.  All his day he waited for the night to come, because he knew he would see her.  Sometimes they wouldn't talk at all, most of the nights they would fight about something, but he just loved her presence.

Love.

Were they there yet?

Helena didn't strike him as the kind of girl who enjoyed the whole I-love-you and candy-eyes thing.  But he had no problem admitting that he was falling in love with the gorgeous vigilante.  And he didn't want to lose her, not now, not when they were just starting to open up to each other.

It was so damned unfair! It just couldn't be happening, they weren't even going to get a chance... She had to pull through.

"Please Helena..." he whispered, "Don't leave me now... hang on..."

"Where is she?!" Bruce Wayne surprised him.  He was wearing a suit and his expression was unreadable.  Still, his voice denoted just how scared he was.

"The doctors took her, they haven't come out yet." Alfred sat by his side as Bruce started pacing the room."

"How long is it going to take!" Wayne muttered.  Reese didn't answer at first, just stared at the older man.  He had blue eyes, just like Helena, as well as dark hair.  She was an athletic man for his age, with make perfect sense since this wasn't just any ordinary man, this was Batman.

This was also the man who's presence had affected Huntress in ways he didn't imagine possible.

"She'll make it," Reese finally said, "That's just the way she is.  And when she wakes up, she should get some peace, some rest." Bruce's eyes were now locked with his, "Are you going to be able to give her that?"

"You want to know if I'm leaving her after this?"

"Yeah.  Because if you are, then it would be better if you disappear now.  She needs security, to know who's going to be here in the long run."

Silence.  Both men just stared at each other.  Reese knew he was probably taking attributions that weren't his, but to hell with it, he cared about Helena and he wanted to help her get her life together.

"You care a lot about my daughter, don't you, Detective...?"

"Jesse Reese."

"Right, Reese."

"Yeah, I do.  I want to see her happy."

"So do I.  I want to stay with her, Reese.  I have failed her in the past, but this time I want to be by her side.  I want to get to know her, to care for her, to love her and have her love me, so maybe one day I can deserve to be called her father, not just by genetics."

"You mean that?"

"More that I've ever meant anything in my whole life." 

Reese saw the determination in Wayne's eyes and knew that he was telling the truth.  Good.  He seemed a decent guy, maybe he was just was Helena needed to get herself together.

"She's going to be okay," he repeated.

"Yes," Bruce whispered, "And then we're taking good care of her... both of us."

Reese just smiled.  Yeah, they were going to take care of her.  She would be fine.

It took around six hours before any information was given to them about Helena's condition.  Barbara took another deep breath, she was sitting in her chair, eyes closed, leaning her head against the wall.  Dick was sitting by her side, he had taken her hand in his, and she was grateful for the contact and the comfort her touch sent to her.  Reese had now taken the floor and was pacing back and forth.  Carolyn was sitting on a chair, Dinah was next to her, with her head in her mother's lap.  Finally, Bruce was standing, a bit apart from the rest of the group, he was leaning against a wall, his eyes wide open, but staring at nothing.  He had not said a word in hours.  She was growing impatient, they all were.  What could be taking them so long? Why hadn't anyone come out yet to tell them what was wrong with Helena? Damn it! What was going on in there? She was the living Oracle, she knew everything, there was no problem she couldn't fix, except this one.

"Are you Helena Kyle's family?" a young doctor finally came to them.  Barbara was about to jump him with queries about her protege's health, but the doctor's question sort of shocked everyone.  It was obvious, it took a couple of seconds without anyone saying a thing, the doctor was just staring at them.  She was about to speak but Bruce beat her to it.

"I'm Bruce Wayne, Helena's father." Barbara didn't miss the look in the doctor's eyes.  She couldn't say she was surprised, after all, this was arguably the richest man in New Gotham, one of the richest in the world, who everyone knew had disappeared years ago, standing in a hospital claiming the woman under the doctor's care as his daughter.  To his credit, the doctor assumed his most professional stance at once.

"Mr. Wayne, I'm Doctor Harris, I took care of your daughter." He shook hands with Bruce, "Helena was severely electrocuted... truth be told most of her organs should be burned by now... but she's healing quite fast."

"She's young," Bruce offered as a way of explanation.

"Well, that's in her favor.  Still, we have to work a little on her kidney and her liver, she should be alright now.  She's going to have to take it easy for a while, but other than that, I think your daughter is going to pull through."

"Thank you." Barbara heard Bruce whisper as he shook hands with the doctor again.  She didn't remember the last time she had felt so relieved.  Helena was going to be okay! Thank God!

"She's resting now, we put her in the ICU just in case... you can see her if you want, one at a time that's it and only for a few minutes, she really needs her rest."

"I..." Bruce was about to agree when he suddenly stopped.  He seemed to be thinking about it for a little while, before taking a step back, "Actually, I think Miss Gordon should go in first." Barbara though she had heard it wrong? Bruce wanted her to go instead of him? This was his daughter, she knew him, she knew he was aching to go inside her room and check and recheck every single machine to make sure she was stable.  Why was he doing this?

"Bruce, she's your daughter..." she started.

"Yes, and make no mistake, Barbara, I am going to be her father and one day I will earn the right to go and sit by her bedside.  But right now, she needs comfort, one I can't give her quite just yet.  She would want it to be you, Barbara, you know it.  She needs you more than she needs me right now." 

Barbara could've cried.  She was dying to see Helena, but she would've never stood in Bruce's way. But he wanted her to go in first.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Go." Bruce smiled, something he rarely, if ever, did.

Barbara followed the doctor into Helena's room.  After she entered, the door closed behind her.  Now she was alone with Huntress.  The younger woman was lying in the bed, eyes closed, machines around her, tubes on her arms and her nose.  Barbara made a quick scan of the machines... Helena was going to be alright, hell, knowing Helena Kyle, they would have to tie her to the bed the moment she opened her eyes, so she wouldn't go on her nightly sweeps.

"Hi there," Barbara whispered as she approached Helena's unconscious form.  Barbara tentatively took one of her hands in hers.  She wasn't use to the seeing her like this, limp, almost lifeless, what could've happened... But it didn't, and that was the important thing.  "You just can't stay out of trouble, can you?" Barbara smiled, she wished Helena could smile back to her.  "Promise not to tell Dick, but I think I understand now why your father clipped his Robin wings." It was meant as a joke, but she was acutely aware it wasn't funny at all.  "I'm sorry, Helena, I'm so sorry.  I never meant to put you in a position like this... you've got to believe me when I say I don't care about you being the Huntress, I care about you for who you are." Barbara looked down, "I was trying to take care of you, that's all I ever wanted, this was simply the only way I knew how.  But now it's alright.  You are going to be okay.  When you wake up, you will get a second chance to be with your dad, he's a great man, one true hero, in every sense of the word.  Your life is going to change, maybe you'll get to be happy at last." She caressed Helena's cold forehead, "You have no idea how much you've given me in all these years.  You were the main reason I didn't come crumbling down after what Joker did... I couldn't, I had to take care of you.  And then, with your help, I could keep being a hero... I know you feel like you have to help everyone... I don't want to feel that with me anymore, you have already done more than your fair share, I want you to be your own person now."  For some reason, she had problems saying the next part.  She finally convinced herself to continue, "And I want you to be with Bruce, he's your father, he's your family.  I want that for you, Helena."

Barbara knew why she was having so much trouble doing this.  In a sense, she had to give her up.  Helena had first been Selina's, Barbara knew that, she remembered it.  But when Selina had died and Bruce hadn't been around, Helena had become hers.  Barbara considered Helena her family, and right now she felt as if she was giving up her child.  Helena and Bruce would need a lot of space and privacy to get to know each other, and to become father and daughter in every sense of the word... Barbara would have to take a step back, or else she would be on their way.

It was one of the hardest decisions in her life.

Things were never again going to be the way they once were, when she was the only person Helena felt she could trust and the only person she counted as her family.  Barbara knew she would always be a part of Helena's life, she would make sure of it, but Helena's whole existence was in the brink of changing forever.  She was happy for Helena, how she couldn't be? But she was a little sad for herself.

She started to leave the room so Bruce could come in and be with her daughter.

"Mom?" a soft voice stopped her in her tracks.  She turned to see Helena was still unconscious but was tossing a bit on her bed.  She did heal fast.  "Mom?" she called again.  Barbara wheeled herself back to her side.

"It's a dream, Helena," she whispered.  Helena was still tossing a little so Barbara took her hand in hers again.  Helena stopped and smiled.

"Mom," she said again.  Barbara felt her heart stop, and this time she couldn't help herself when one lonely tear came down her cheek.

"I'm here, love.  Go back to sleep.  I'll take care of you, always." Helena looked so peaceful right now.  Barbara just smiled and decided to stay with her for a bit longer, before calling Bruce.


	11. Epilogue

Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS:  All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them.  Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

Epilogue

_"Where am I?" was the first question Helena asked the minute she woke up.  Reese could've laughed at how cliche it all sounded, but he was too relieved to see her eyes open.  He was sitting by her bedside, and there were far too many people in her room for an ICU.  Then again, this was Bruce Wayne's daughter, so they got away with it.  Bruce, Barbara, Dick, Alfred, Carolyn and Dinah let out a collective breath once she was awake.  He smiled at her._

_"You're at the hospital.  Do you remember what happened?" he asked as he stroke her cheek.  She took a minute, considering his question before speaking again, with some difficulty._

_"Joker... the rooftops," she said._

_"It's okay now, Helena, you're okay and you saved my life." Bruce Wayne walked forward and with some hesitation took her hand in his.  It was awkward for a moment, father and daughter looked into each other's eyes, a new understanding passing between them._

_"Where is he?"_

_"Arkham.  He and Harley are both at Arkham," Dinah answered._

_"Yeah, but this time we're making sure they don't get away," Reese offered._

_"Good."_

_"You've got to rest now, Helena," Barbara said, smiling._

_"You gave us quite a scare," Dick said, "Should've known you were too stubborn to simply drop dead!"_

_"Master Dick..."_

_"Okay, okay Akfred, I promise to behave."_

_"Like that's going to happen." Even Carolyn joined in the fun._

_"Okay, guys, we should leave now.  Helena needs her rest," Barbara Gordon stated in a voice that made it clear she was not taking a no for an answer.  Each one took their turn saying good-bye to the woman lying on the bed.  Reese noticed Barbara lingering a little longer, whispering something in Helena's ear, and Bruce Wayne planting a soft kiss on his child's forehead.  Only he remained in the room._

_"Gotta go before Barbara comes back in and kicks my ass," he joked.  She smiled weakly at him and reached for his hand.  He took it and kissed her hand softly, "You scared the hell out of me, you know that?"_

_"I'm sorry."_

_"Never mind, you're in one piece, that's all that matters right now."_

_"Thank you," she whispered._

_"For what?"_

_"Being here, been there when I needed... you've been great through this whole thing."_

_"That's what you do in a relationship, Helena.  You stick by the person you..." he suddenly felt silent, not quite sure how to end his phrase._

_"This is still beginning." Helena read his mind, "We don't need to throw big words yet, I told you  I'm commitment shy... so it would be better to just leave it a, thank you."_

_"You're welcome.  And, Helena?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Even if we're just starting here, make no mistake, I'm here to stay."_

_"Good." She smiled.  He kissed her softly on the lips and left the room so she could get some sleep._

Two months later...

"Stop pulling the covers!" Helena threatened him, while pulling the bedcovers over herself.

"Come on, share! It's cold!" he said, smiling, pulling at the covers as well.

"Isn't this bed warm enough for you, Detective?" she asked, seductively.

"Well, we're naked under the sheets..."

"So you have a hot naked woman under your sheets and you are still cold? Seriously, Reese, you're too young for this!" she joked, kissing him fully on the lips.  Reese was just too happy to do anything but answer the kiss, and when they parted for breath, he made her comfortable, lying on his chest.  They remained several minutes in silence, just enjoying each other's presence.  He loved being like this with her.  Getting to know the woman on his bed, that is, the side of her that wasn't a vigilante during the night, had been amazing.  He had learnt that she was not only beautiful, sexy and brave, but also quite smart, funny, classy... and even sweet, although she hated him saying it.  She was amazing, and he found himself falling more and more for her as days passed.

"Saw the paper today?" her voice broke his ramblings.

"What?"

"The Inquisitor? Did you see what they wrote?" 

He thought for a minute and then remembered.  He couldn't help but laugh, it was pretty damn funny from where he was sitting.  Helena didn't agree, though, and punched him on the arm.

"Ouch."

"That's for laughing."

"Sorry, love, but IT IS amusing.  'Bruce Wayne's Long Lost Daughter:  The True Story'.  You know, your true story would've been a more interesting tale anyway." She just sighed. "I specially enjoyed the part where they said that you and Dick were in this huge feud over the Wayne inheritance."

"Right."

"Come on! They actually printed you were in the hospital by some 'accident' just after Dick got back in town."

"And you find that amusing? They printed that my brother tried to kill me to get my dad's money!"

"It's funny because it is a load of crap, Helena."

"Well I'm not laughing." She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted like a little girl.  Reese couldn't help but laugh again, and that earned him another punch.

"Okay, okay... I'm done laughing."

"I swear, Reese, you're such a kid!"

"You know, you really should start calling me Jesse sometime soon, it's an easy name."

"I like Reese better."

"That's my last name."

"But it suits you... I don't know, that's the name I know you by, you'll always be Reese to me."

"That's sweet." She sighed again, "Call me whatever you want to call me, Helena." They kissed again.

Silence.

They had been avoiding this conversation for a week now, but there was no way to run anymore.  Instinctively, he brought her body even closer to his and held her with a little more strength.  He had to ask.

"What time are you leaving?" he felt her hesitation.

"Tonight at eleven."

"That's... what? Six hours?"

"Five."

"How long?"

"I don't know... We're going to Paris first, dad wants to see where I was born and all... then, to some cities I visited with my mom..."

"It's a good thing that you two are taking this trip together, you need this time alone." Helena turned over his body, so she was now staring straight into his eyes.  She had the most mesmerizing eyes, even when they weren't cat looking.

"Do you really feel that way? Are you okay with me leaving?"

"No, Helena, of course not.  I don't want you to leave, I'm going to miss you like crazy, but I understand why you have to do this."

"I could be away for a whole year, you know?"

"I know." She was having trouble voicing her thoughts.  Reese was pretty sure he knew what she wanted to say next, but decided not to help her out.  It was fun to watch her struggle when she had to say something she felt was too 'human' for her, like...

"When I come back, are you still going to be here?" She was almost shy asking this question.  He had to smile and kissed the point of her perfect nose.

"Of course I'm going to be here, waiting for you.  Then, we pick it up, just where we are now.  Okay?"

"Yeah," she said, hugging him with such a strength that it was almost hurtful.  But he wouldn't turn away from her, he needed to feel her like this, close to him, for as long as possible.

"What am I going to do without you?" he asked.

"You're going to keep fighting crime, and being so brave and good and wonderful... I'm going to miss you too, Reese, you can't even begin to imagine how much."

"Good.  Because I'm crazy about you."

"Me too." 

He stared at her eyes, and decided it was time he took the leap.

"I'm in love with you.  I love you.  I can't imagine my life without you... and I know you suck at these things and that you probably feel like in my mind we're already married and with five kids and it's going too fast for you and..." he was interrupted by the softest pair of lips he had ever felt in his life, kissing him passionately.  He answered the kissing, playing with her hair.  When she finally pulled away, she was smiling at him.

"I'm in love with you too, Detective.  And you don't have to imagine your life without me, because I'm coming back for you, no matter what." 

He smiled.

"You want me to take you to the airport?"

"No.  At airports good-byes are harder... I want this to be how we parted.  Here, in your bed, making love, and knowing this separation is just for a little while."

"I want you to write and call."

"Do I look like the e-mail kind of girl to you?"

"You're going to have to become one, or I'll have to track you wherever you are and bring you home, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear." She smiled as she leaned on him, kissing him.

Barbara Gordon looked at the costume on display in front of her.  It was amazing how far they had all come... it was stunning.  Bruce and Helena were leaving tonight.  Bruce had come to say good-bye and thank her for all she had done for his girl. Barbara had told him that there was nothing he had to thank her for, and that now she made him responsible for her safety.  He smiled and told her that no one was going to put a finger on Helena under his watch.  It was a good thing he came, they were able to patch things, this time for good.  They could once again be the people they once were, good friends, long time ago mentor and protege, and now, partners.

Right now, Bruce was in the living room with Alfred, Dick, Dinah and Carolyn.  She just felt like being in the costume vault.  Helena had been off active duty for the last couple of months.  After her injury, they figured that, no matter how fast she healed, she had to take it easy.  Plus, at the moment, there were enough heroes in New Gotham to lend a hand.  So, while the young woman was at the hospital, Bruce had all her stuff transferred from her apartment to the manor.  That was Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman, never ask question, just do what you decide it's better to do.  Helena was hardly enthusiastic about the idea at first, she once swore never to step foot on that manor again, but she finally agreed.  Alfred was beyond himself with happiness, for years he had pleaded with Helena to move to the manor. Now he finally had the last Wayne home... Well, Kyle, but she was Bruce's daughter anyway.

"It's weird to see it in display like that." Her voice startled Barbara.  Had she always to be this sneaky? "My costume, up there with Batgirl, Black Canary, Robin, Batman... I feel so... old!" Barbara raised an eyebrow, "Ow, I'm not saying you're old, Barbara..."

"You would be well advised to stop talking, Helena," she said.

"Yeah." The younger woman smiled.

"You came to say good-bye?" Barbara asked, turning to face her.

"No, I hate good-byes, they're so... final.  And this isn't the end, I'm coming back, and that costume is coming out of the urn, Huntress will prowl again."

"Good.  Huntress is one of the best of all times."

"Well, she had the best mentor ever." Helena smiled at her.  Barbara smiled back, her protege seemed so relaxed these days... that was a good thing.  She was finally getting some equilibrium and even normalcy in her life, without giving up who she was in the way.  Barbara was as proud of her as she could be.

"I'm going to miss you, Helena."

"Me too.  But time will fly and I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone."

"Oh, I'm gonna notice you're gone, trust me," Barbara said.  Neither of them was sure what to say next, why was this so awkward? They had always been able to talk about everything and anything.

"I... I've kind of wanted to tell you something for a while... but you know I'm lousy with words and..."

"Whatever it is, Helena, take a deep breath and come out and say it already."

"Gee, thanks for the pep talk!"

"Whenever, now spit."

"Fine.  The thing is, I'm leaving today with my dad... and I don't think... no, scratch that.  I KNOW I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

"Helena..."

"No, Barbara, please let me say this, because this is long overdue." Barbara nodded and the younger woman continued, "When my mom died, you were the person that saved me.  I was on the wild and ready to shoot someone's brains, Joker's, the guy that had stabbed her... And you wouldn't let me.  Thank you for that, because I wouldn't have a life now if you hadn't been there for me."

"I'm always going to be there for you."

"I know... Like when you took my hand at the hospital." 

Barbara was startled.

"Were you awake?"

"Not really... I just... I always had this dream as a little kid, that I couldn't find my mom, and I was all alone..."

"I remember Selina mentioning it."

"Every time I had that nightmare, my mom would come running to my room and would spend the night with me... She always made me feel safe, you know? I knew I was going to be okay because I had her to take care of me and love no matter what.  I was having that nightmare again back at the hospital... I sort of remembered the sensations... First I was with my mom and then she was taken away from me... and I couldn't find her, and I was reaching out for her... and you took my hand.  You always did, Barbara.  When my mother wasn't here to take care of me, you did.  And I have felt safe all these years because you were here with me." Barbara could feel her heart raising, tears threatened to fall down her cheeks and, surprisingly so, she could see Helena was struggling with her own tears as well.

"I didn't keep you safe, Helena."

"You kept me alive.  You are my mentor, my best friend... and, in so many ways, like a second mother to me." That's all she could do to keep her tears in control.  She knew how much Helena cherished the memory of her mother and that to be compared to Selina Kyle by her daughter was the biggest compliment she could hope for.

"Oh, Helena..." she took the other woman in her arms.  She hadn't hugged Helena like this in years, and it felt so good.  "All I ever wanted was for you to be happy with yourself... you have no idea how much happiness you brought to my life, how much hope and promise.  And I love you Helena, I couldn't love you more if you were my own child."

"I love you too, Barbara," Helena whispered.  Barbara couldn't believe what she was hearing, she could just hug Helena tighter, stroking her hair like she used to do when Helena was a little kid.  For the first time in years, she had the certainty that Helena Kyle was going to be okay.  When they pulled away, both of them were a lot calmer.  Barbara still held one of Helena's hands in hers.

"Now, you go with your father and try and have a normal life for a while."

"Right, a normal life! I'm going on a trip with Batman! The guy that defined 'weird' as far as I know."

"You're going to start a whole new life with your father."

"No, I can't do that, because that would mean giving up my current life and I'm not willing to do that.  We're going on this trip together so we can finally become fully part of each other's life, and I wouldn't want it any other way."

"Your mom would be proud of you." 

Helena looked to the floor for a couple of seconds.  When she finally looked up again, Barbara could see there was something else she wanted to say.

"Barbara... do you think my mom would mind..."

"What?"

"Well... my dad is a good guy and they loved each other, and he hasn't even talked about it... but I think it would mean a lot to him... and to me... but I wouldn't want it to seem like I'm forgetting her, because my mom was the one that raised me..." Barbara smiled at Helena, she knew now where this was headed.

"Your last name."

"Well, Dick is Grayson and I'm his only daughter..."

"Helena Wayne has a nice ring to it."

"Yeah, but I've been Helena Kyle my whole life, that's the name my mom gave me."

"So...?"

"So, I was thinking... about... Helena Kyle-Wayne? You know, like in one long last name."

"I think it's a great idea, Helena.  Bruce will be very happy, and so would your mother."

"You think so?"

"Yes, I do."

"You do what?" a young voice interrupted them.

"Dinah, it isn't polite to overhear..." Barbara warned.

"Sorry, just got out of the generation loop when the old guard in the living room started talking about some woman called Poison Ivy who had these pheromones... Oh... Barbara, I didn't mean you were old just because you know who Poison Ivy is..."

"Let it go, Dinah."

"Yeah."

"I swear you two girls are insufferable." 

Dinah and Helena smiled.

"So... you're really leaving?" Dinah addressed Helena.

"Yeah, but only for a little while.  Luckily, I need not to worry about my city, I leave it to a great hero to take care of."

"You really mean that?" Dinah asked excitedly.

"Black Canary," Helena extended her hand to her young friend, "I know New Gotham is safe in your hands."

"Thank you, Huntress." Dinah took her hand smiling, "You have no idea what this means to me."

"I mean it.  You're better than I ever gave you credit for.  I look forward to coming back so we can be partners against crime again."

"Count on it."

"Birds of Prey." Barbara said.

"What?" Helena and Dinah asked at the same time.

"Alfred once told me we were Birds of Prey, flying over Gotham, hunting down the criminals, smoothly, I think it's a fitting name."

"Yeah." Dinah smiled.

"Alright," Helena conceded, "Birds of Prey sure as hell beats Bat-Family!"

"Hey." A voice from the entrance got their attention, "Don't mess with the classics."

"Still here, Dick?" Helena asked, as Dick, Alfred, Bruce and Carolyn made their way into the costume vault.

"Had to say good-bye to you, kiddo.  Come here... I promise not to kill you for the inheritance."

"So you read that crap!" Helena exclaimed.

"Never mind, just come here." Dick and Helena embraced, he whispered something in her ear.  Barbara managed to read his lips:  'Happy birthday, sis.'

"I guess we should be leaving," Bruce started.

"Yeah," Helena agreed.

"Barbara," Bruce called her attention, "Alfred here has decided to stay with you and Dinah while we're away."

"Really?" Barbara asked, turning to Alfred.

"Of course, someone has to take care of you.  If not, I'm guessing Miss Dinah is going to starve to dead in less than a week."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Barbara smiled at the old man.  She knew Alfred enough to know that he was stepping out of the way, so Bruce and Helena could be alone for a while.  She was just too happy to have the old man around, he was one of her most dear friends.

Bruce and Helena exchanged their final good-byes with everyone and then they were gone.  After a couple of minutes, Dinah and Carolyn left as well.  Carolyn had decided to stay for a while longer to be with her daughter.  Barbara hoped she would stick around for good, she was a good friend and was finally reestablishing her relationship with the young Black Canary.  As he did in the old days, Alfred soon excused himself so Dick and Barbara were all alone.

"So..." Barbara started.

"Just us, then." He replied.

"Apparently so."

"Ooo-kay." Dick looked down at his hands.

"I didn't get a chance to thank you, Dick."

"I did nothing."

"You brought Bruce, you helped rescue Alfred, you helped me deal with this whole thing... You were always the best of friends, Dick.  I swear, you're the best,  Bird-boy."

"Friends, uh?" his voice and expression surprised Barbara.  What was the problem with the word 'friends'... at least, what was the problem out of the sudden?

"Yes," she said tentatively.

"Babs... I'm..."

"What?" why was her heart beating so fast? Was she sweating? What the hell was going on? Where were Alfred and Dinah the moment you needed them?

"I'm... going back to Bludhaven."

"Already?" she was surprised to hear herself ask that question.  Dick had been at New Gotham for over two months now, of course he had to go back to Bludhaven, didn't he?

"Yeah... Blockbuster is on the loose again..."

"I see."

"And I'm finished with everything I had to do here... right?" Why was he asking her?

"I... guess so." She could read something she had seen a lot of times on his face during their past:  Frustration.  But why now? Also, it was usually directed towards Bruce, not her.

"Damn it, Barbara, throw me a bone here," he finally said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.  She knew what he meant, she just wasn't sure she was ready to have this conversation with him.

"I mean... Do you want me to go?"

"What?"

"Yeah, like the last time, disappear for around seven years.  Hardly a word, an awkward birthday call... and that be it."

"Of course I don't want us to drift apart Dick, I never wanted that."

"Then why are you just letting me go?"

"Excuse me?"

"I tell you I'm going back to Bludhaven, and you barely notice, you confirm my business here is done... Do you even care about me anymore?"

"Wait right there mister! You were the one that left! You've already left me twice for that blasted city and you expect me to try and stop you to go so you can leave me third time?!" Oh God, had she just said what she heard herself say? Dick was sort of... smiling? Arrogant jerk.

"So you do feel I left you?"

"Of course not, we were just colleagues, you had every right..."

"We were never 'just colleagues', Babs.  We were partners, we were best friends and... and I always wanted us to be so much more." Barbara suddenly found her hands very interesting to look at. "Come on, don't play dumb, Babs, you always knew I had a big crush on you all those years ago."

"I..." she decided full disclosure was the best way out of this conversation, "I did, but I also knew we couldn't act on those feelings..."

"So you shared them?"

"Dick..."

"Did you?"

"I... liked you."

"Good enough.  Why couldn't we?"

"How do you think Batman would have reacted?"

"Given his track record, he would probably would have objected to me dating a fellow crime-fighter, while he ran to the roofs behind Catwoman."

"I just didn't think..."

"Come on, Babs, be real.  You were scared because we were so close and it would become a big deal like in two minutes."

"Maybe," she admitted.

"We were cowards.  Are we going to be cowards again?"

"Now?"

"Why not? I feel the same way, Babs."

"Dick you can't..."

"I'm not a boy with a crush anymore, Babs.  I grew up, we both did.  You can't possibly tell me you need time to think this... You've been thinking about it for like twenty years, just like me.  The question is, you want to give us a chance?"

She didn't answer.  What could she say?

"I'm still in love with you," he continued, "That in itself is a big clue we could be great."

Nothing.  Where the hell were Alfred and Dinah? Why did she felt electricity run through her body whenever Dick looked at her with those amazing blue eyes?

"We're too old for these games, Babs.  I 'm going to walk through that door now, and I'm not going to stop until Bludhaven.  It's up to you to stop me, or let me go." And then, Dick did something he had never done:  He bent over and planted a soft kiss on her lips.  It was a kiss full of both love and friendship, of a relationship she knew she would never share with another living person, but Richard Grayson.  True to his word, he was walking away, and for a couple of seconds she couldn't find her own voice and was afraid that he would walk away from her life, this time for good.

"Would you leave Bludhaven?" was what she managed to blurt out.  Not quite what she expected but it did the trick.  Dick stopped and turned to her, a smile on his face, as usual.

"Would you leave New Gotham?" he shot back.  She knew she wouldn't, ever.  She waited for him to continue talking, "But I could come from time to time, and you could visit me.  And you could give me one of your funny com devices, so we could remain in contact.  We could take vacations, we could talk on the phone, we could chat... There are a thousand ways to make it work, Babs, the only real question is:  Do you want to be with me?"

He was standing there:  Her friend, her partner, her brother, her love... So many years wasted, so many years separated, and yet he remained in love with her, and she loved him too.  How couldn't she? He was a strong, honest, brave man.  He always wore his heart at his sleeve, but he could be the man Batman raised him to be, the Dark Knight's heir, but a hero of his own accord.  She didn't want him gone.  Instead of answering, she wheeled herself until she was in front of him.  He looked at her straight in the eye.  Barbara reached for his neck with her hands and pulled his head down for a kiss.  Before she knew it, Dick was holding her, almost completely out of the chair, kissing her back.  When they finally parted, Dick was smiling at her, and she could feel the silly grin on her face as well.

"So...  do I unpack or something?" he asked.  She caressed his cheek and searched for his lips once again.

Helena was again at her mother's grave.  She couldn't leave without saying good-bye to her.  Behind her, she heard his footsteps.  He approached the grave and kneeled by her side, laying a red rose on Selina Kyle's last resting place.

"I never imagined coming here with you," Helena commented.

"I never imagined you." Bruce answered, his eyes never leaving the gravestone.

"I think mom would have liked to see both of us together."

"I think so too."

Father and daughter remained in silence, looking at the grave that held the body of the most important person in their lives, at different times and with different identities, lover and mother, neither of them knew quite how to let her memory go.

"Alfred gave me this." She pulled the golden necklace with three emeralds Alfred had given her on her birthday.  She could see the recognition on her father's face as he took the necklace in his hands.

"I gave it to Selina," he said.

"He told me that."

"She loved it... She said had she seen it before, she would have stolen it sooner than I bought it." 

Helena laughed.

"I thought you would want it back... to remember her.  Or we could leave it at her grave."

"No." Bruce became serious, "I don't need anything to remember your mother, she lives in my heart, and I have you.  You're all the emeralds I need.  And your mother would have wanted you to have this... it was like a symbol."

"A symbol?"

"Of us... we had a normal life for a while.  We dated, we loved each other, we had a relationship... I bought her jewelry... It was just a time when we could be together, Catwoman and Batman aside.  You're the best proof of our love, Helena." Her father put the necklace on it's place around her neck, and she wondered if he had all those years ago helped her mother with it in the same way.

"You're just saying that."

"No, I'm not.  We had a daughter... You're the greatest gift Selina could have given me... and at the time I needed you the most.  I have a motivation to wake up every morning, I have a daughter.  And when I thought I would never have anything from Selina by my side again... I have you. There's so much of your spirit that is hers, Helena.  Part of her and part of me will forever live in you... And I'll know it was real, that our love was real."

"That's beautiful."

"No, YOU are beautiful." 

Helena smiled.  She looked at the rose, so much like her mother:  The color of passion, a torn guarding it the most amazing beauty inside and out...

"Dad..."

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me about her? Before I was born? When she was Catwoman?" 

He smiled.

"I will, if you tell me how was she like after you were born.  Deal?" 

She smiled.

"Deal." 

Bruce stood up and helped Helena to her feet.

"Good-bye, mom," Helena addressed the grave, "I'm getting to know my father.  I'll come back home soon... I love you mommy, I miss you." She took a step back and saw Bruce Wayne approach the grave.

"You did a great job with her, Sel, thanks for our daughter.  I'll look after her now.  I love you, Selina, I always did and I always will."

"Ready?" she asked.

"Sure." As they started walking out of the cemetery to the airport, were Bruce Wayne's private plane was waiting to take them to Paris, she felt a new sensation:  His strong arm was now encircling her shoulders in a protective fashion.  At first she was surprised, even so more when she realized the embrace sent warmth all over her body.  Tentatively, she got closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder.  She could see him smile and tighten his grip on her.

She looked up at the sky, hoping her mother was close now, seeing it.  She had found her family, she had a second chance to get her life together and the man holding her, the man she called father, was going to be by her side.

She thanked whatever star was shining upon her for that.

She was not alone anymore, and she would never be again.

THE END


End file.
